Inauguration Day
by compass54
Summary: On January 20th, the Commander in Chief swears an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. The day has a specific schedule, a historic order of events that end with a new president in the White House. This time, the name is Cullen. Written for the Commander in Chief Contest and expanded. NOW COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**_Thank you to everyone who reviewed and voted for this story in the Commander in Chief Contest! Thanks also to the team who ran the contest, doing a fantastic job in inspiring us to write and meet their deadline. We nearly didn't make that date, and it's only now I've been able to incorporate sections I cut to make the word limit. There will be several chapters now, so I hope you enjoy! _**

**_Thank you so much to VampyreGirl86, Ipsita and SarcasticBimbo for all your help. We had to work like an army to pull this story together._**

**_Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong solely to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended._**

* * *

_**Chapter 1**_

I woke up hard on the day of the inauguration. It was my wife's fault, bringing me to life caressing the tops of my thighs, and I pretended to be asleep until she took hold of my cock.

"Good morning," I greeted her, thinking she'd startle, but she wrapped a leg around me, scorching my thigh with the heat of her enthusiasm. "Horny are we?" I chuckled when I noted she'd already removed her underwear.

"A little," she purred in that husky, just-woken voice I loved, running her nose along my jaw. Bella was always sexy first thing, especially when her ambition was obvious. "I have some tension to relieve."

"Hmm, I can help you with that." I closed my eyes for a particularly hard squeeze and twist while she ground herself against me, and I reached for the buttons of her nightgown. It was one of several new items of sleepwear she'd purchased in preparation for our move, knowing people might enter our bedroom in the middle of the night. She referred to these soft nighties as "modest," but getting the buttons undone made what was underneath incredibly enticing. After two children and fifteen years of marriage, Bella was just as desirable as she was at seventeen.

Peeling back the fabric, I gazed at her breasts and watched her chest rise and fall in anticipation. Keeping myself in check, I withstood the exquisite sensation of her pumping me and traced her nipples, savoring the experience of making love in this opulent suite. The incoming First Family always stayed in the historic Blair House before the inauguration.

"Kiss me," she demanded, and I obeyed, taking a handful of breast for myself. Bella usually led me down a slow tease when we were truly alone, but what she needed now was fast and rough—a pre-dawn tension reliever.

Her hips rose off the bed when I slipped my fingers inside her, the slick heat almost irresistible to my ready-to-fuck cock. She watched her hand slide up my arm, lingering on the scar on my shoulder before our eyes met again.

As her fingers crept into my hair, she said, "I love you more than ever." Pulling me down for another kiss, she moaned as I spread her liquid silk and worked her inside and out. The speed and power of her orgasm surprised me, but she wasn't done with me yet, climbing on top and riding me with the nightgown falling off her shoulders, her tits bouncing in the palms of my hands.

It was a great way to start the day.

* * *

"Go and tell your mother they have fifteen minutes left," I said to my fourteen-year-old son who was still picking at the lavish breakfast they'd laid out for us. When he didn't react, I glared at him. "Liam?"

"I'm still eating, Dad." The challenges were coming more frequently lately, ever since he'd grown past the height of my shoulders.

"No, you're overindulging, son. Please do what you're told." Liam rolled his eyes and huffed, snatching another piece of bacon, and all I could do was sigh as I watched him walk out.

"He's a fine boy, Edward," Renee stated, placing a reassuring hand on my arm. "Cut him some slack while he goes through this monumental change."

"When has it ever been any different?" I was worried how both of our children would adjust. We'd asked a lot from them over the years, moving to new homes, new schools and cities, having to go without one of their parents.

"You know this one is _very _different."

I smiled at the incredible woman who had become like a mother to me. "Yeah, I know. What would we do without you?"

She picked up a napkin from the table and wiped at her eyes. "It's been a privilege, Edward."

Two enormous arms surrounded her from behind. "Come on, love. Pull yourself together." Major General Charles Swan, now retired, grinned at me over his wife's shoulder. I still felt the urge to salute, and would never get used to seeing him out of uniform. He wore it proudly with all his medals and ribbons at military funerals, on Veteran's Day, and for every Memorial Day Parade, but today he was a civilian—just a doting dad.

He was so proud of his daughter, the girl who caught my attention on her very first day at West Point.

_Bella fell under my command when they assigned me as her company leader, known to the fresh recruits as their "red sash cadet." It was our job to take them through the stations required to complete Reception Day. We had to yell at them to keep moving and stop fidgeting while getting on and off buses, lining up to have their hair buzzed off, and collecting all their gear._

_The first test came when they had to rush and transfer everything to their issued bag with several voices screaming at them to hurry up and not finish last. Bella was the first to stand, straight backed with eyes forward, ready for inspection. The platoon sergeant glanced at me sideways and winked._

_They then completed a set of drills where they learned the art of saluting, how to stand a certain way on an exact spot, how to walk and turn on a corner. By the evening, they would be marching with the whole school to farewell their families._

_Putting these new skills into practice, they each had to memorize a sentence, walk up to one of the red sashes and stand on a line marked with tape, heels together, feet at forty-five degrees, and then salute. If they got that right, they were expected to recite the sentence perfectly. It was a simple task, but many of them found it unnerving standing so close to an older cadet and had to retrain before making another attempt. While I had made it clear I was not their enemy, it was essential that each of them pass the test before we could move on, and it was not my mission to make it easy._

_The first of the two females in my company almost passed, missing the end of the sentence and spitting out, "Damn."_

"_Are you cursing a superior?" I asked, straight-faced and stern._

_Her eyes widened. "No."_

"_No, sir?"_

_Aware her anxiety was causing more errors, she sighed. "No, sir. Sir, I'm sorry."_

"_Sorry is not acceptable, new cadet," I said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Recover by coming back with a new attitude next time."_

_I put her out of my mind and looked at the next victim, the girl who was first to pack her bag earlier. Calling her forward, I issued the same command I'd used for the others she followed. "Stand on my line and salute."_

_She strode up confidently and stopped, lowering her gaze to her feet. When I checked, the toes of her shoes were sitting right on the line. Then she raised her arm in a salute I couldn't fault. Her eyes were on my chin when I asked her to look at me to recite the sentence, and she delivered it precisely, if a little softer than I would have liked. Really, I could have passed her immediately, but part of today was about rattling them, making them aware they were transitioning from civilians to military personnel._

"_Louder."_

_After a couple of blinks, she responded, "Yes, sir," then repeated it word for word, loudly, clearly, without a hint of hesitation._

_I made sure I conveyed I was pleased with my eyebrows rather than actually smiling. "Good work, new cadet."_

_During the afternoon, she never spoke and did exactly what was expected of her. The fact that I hadn't had to admonish her once drew my interest, expecting her to slip up somewhere. By the end of the session, I felt sure she had either come from the Junior Reserves or must have grown up in a military family._

* * *

_I didn't see her again until I was starving one night and swung by the dining hall early to see what we were having. She was setting tables, along with other new cadets, and as I approached, she recited the evening's menu._

"_How is Beast?" It was the term everyone used for the first six weeks of basic training._

_She blew out a breath and replied, "One day at a time, right?"_

"_Don't let it overwhelm you. You'll enjoy Camp Buckner, and marching back into school as a real cadet is exhilarating."_

"_If I live that long, sir."_

_I had to laugh, because it only seemed like yesterday I was here, just like her, thinking I'd never survive it._

"_If you don't mind me asking, did you come here from a military background?"_

"_Yes, sir." She never looked up, moving on to the next table._

"_Junior Reserves?"_

"_No, sir."_

"_Your family, then."_

"_Yes, sir."_

_At least I had my answer. "You seem more at ease in this environment than most of the other new cadets."_

"_No, sir, I'm not."_

_If she was scared of me, I hoped it wasn't through some thoughtless thing I'd done. I was determined to graduate as someone who could lead without fear._

"_You can speak to me, you know. It's not against the rules."_

_Adjusting the fan of forks on the table, she responded, "As long as you speak to me first."_

"_I'm supposed to help you if I can."_

_Finally, she looked at me. "I've been looking at the sports list, and I've never played most of them before. How serious are the intercollegiate games?"_

_She was going to die when she saw this place on Saturdays. "Fairly serious, but there are plenty of other sports. Have a look at athletics."_

"_I already did," she replied with a sigh. "What the heck is handball?"_

"_It's popular in Europe, played on a court like basketball, but with a smaller ball and soccer net. There's a lot of running, throwing, jumping and blocking."_

"_Oh." She seemed to brighten a little. "Well, I'll check it out. I was thinking I'd have to swim."_

"_My advice is to sign up for team sports. No one here is planning to graduate and go on to the Olympics. Sport at the Point is supposed to promote teamwork and be a fun way to keep fit."_

"_Is PT as bad as everyone keeps saying?"_

"_Yes." It wasn't right to mislead her. "It's brutal to start with, but it does get easier."_

_She groaned, not liking that answer. "Well, thank you." Extending her hand, she smiled. "I'm Bella, by the way."_

"_Swan," I corrected her, pointing to the name on my jacket. "Cullen."_

* * *

_A few weeks later, I was hurrying back to barracks close to curfew, after a weekend pass got me laid, and I was feeling quite satisfied with myself when I noticed Swan hauling two enormous bags of trash into a dumpster._

"_I see you're still alive, Swan."_

"_Yes, sir." She dropped the lid and smiled. "Did you enjoy your weekend?"_

_I thought about my answer, knowing it would be a long time before she got her first leave pass._

"_Yeah, it was okay." I kept walking, wondering if her question meant she'd noticed I hadn't been here. I turned around and caught her still standing there, watching me, and after we waved goodbye to each other, I entered the barracks with a stupid grin on my face and an extra spring in my step._

_The following night, she was in the dining hall again on table duty, and I realized I had no reason being in there early other than hoping I might catch her without a thousand people around. It was a little unsettling when it was forbidden for older cadets to date plebes, but no other female here had ever attracted me before._

_She was definitely not scared of me now. The smile radiated over her face when she saw me._

"_One week to go until camp?" I still knew nothing about her, but in an environment with everything in common, it wasn't hard to come up with small talk._

"_Yes, sir."_

_When she kept setting out glasses quietly, I wondered if she was wary of my intentions, just as I was beginning to examine them myself._

"_Do you have more questions for me?"_

_She glanced around, looking satisfied she'd completed her task. "I do, actually." As I waited for the question, I watched her eyes taking a tour of my face, her lips registering a tiny smile. "What's your major, sir?"_

_I smiled back, encouraging any kind of conversation. "Defense and Strategic Studies."_

_She nodded. "And have you already chosen your specialty?"_

"_Uh … you're getting a little ahead of yourself there. You have years to contemplate your branch."_

"_You asked if I had more questions," she reminded me and frowned._

_I'd come across as rude, the last thing I'd intended, but I'd backed myself into a corner declaring that sorry was unacceptable, and now people were coming in. I hated the thought of walking away, having ruined the tiny gains we'd made._

"_Yes, I did, Swan, and I'm going into Military Intelligence." I hoped she'd stay long enough to forgive me or at least continue to talk, but her eyes flitted around the hungry cadets entering the hall as if she was nervous about openly fraternizing._

"_Are we … allowed to eat together, sir?"_

_Oh, hell, she was brave enough to ask the question forming in my head—one I couldn't answer. I had two options: sit down with her and hope there were no consequences, or do what I was supposed to do—ask a superior and follow orders._

"_Get your food and I'll be right back with the answer," I replied, seeing my platoon sergeant enter the hall._

"_Cullen." He greeted my salute and my mouth dried up. "Can I help you?"_

"_I hope so, sir. I was just speaking with one of the plebes about her academic options, and she asked if we can continue the conversation over a meal."_

_He turned his head slightly and looked me up and down. "In the mess?"_

"_Yes, sir," I answered, trying not to sound hopeful. "I honestly didn't know the answer, so I came to you."_

"_You didn't pre-plan this?"_

"_No, sir. She just asked only a minute ago."_

"_May I inquire which one of the plebes you are having dinner with?"_

Was that a yes?_ "Swan, sir. Bella Swan."_

_He snorted. "Isabella Swan. Very well, but I'm warning you, Cullen. You may talk but not touch, understand?"_

"_Yes, sir. Understood, sir."_

_I had to stop myself from skipping over to where she was waiting to be served. "Apparently, it's a yes if we're just talking. We're only banned from dating."_

"_We could have a very nice date here."_

_The statement took me by surprise. "With all these people around?"_

"_If this was a real date, I wouldn't notice anyone else."_

_Suddenly, all I saw were thick black lashes and warm brown eyes. When she turned them away to accept her meal, I grabbed whatever was available quickly, leading her to two seats facing each other at the end of a table, trying to ignore the seniors behind her waving at me and elbowing each other. It _was _the first time I'd shared a meal on my own with a female in here._

_As soon as she swallowed a mouthful, she picked up the conversation again. "I want to be a doctor, but they give out so few scholarships. Even if I got one, it's a year of service for every year of study. I'll be ancient by the time I get out."_

_I jumped on us having something else in common. "My father's a doctor."_

"_A military doctor?" she piped up, her raised eyebrows showing her curiosity._

"_No, he's at Bellevue in New York. He practically lives there."_

"_So, you're from New York?"_

_I nodded. "Brooklyn, and you?"_

"_Originally? Seattle."_

"_Have you moved around a lot?"_

"_Yep." She sighed as if there were many._

"_Is that hard?" I asked, wondering about my own future._

"_It's hard to make friends, you know, the kind you have for a lifetime."_

_I saw it differently, but had yet to test the theory. "I think the friendships you make in the military are stronger. The shared experiences are more intense."_

_She looked at me, as if she was being careful with her response. "That could be true, but coming home, especially after deployment, is about switching off for a while, and a soldier can't expect the family to understand those kinds of experiences when they only occur within military life. We may inhabit part of that world, but we're essentially civilian."_

_Her perspective was humbling because I'd never really thought deeply about the loved ones we'll leave behind. I could probably learn a lot from this girl._

"_I still want to join a medical team," she said. "But I'm not sure how I'm going to do that now."_

"_Then take the battery aptitude test as soon as you can. If you're suited to the work, you're more likely to excel and enjoy the job. Talk to your tutors about subjects."_

_Her eyes softened, as if she appreciated the help. "Well, thank you for the advice, and now I must go back and study."_

"_You're welcome," I responded, knowing I still had hours ahead of me._

_We parted the evening as friends, but I already knew I would have pursued her had she not been so young. Disobeying a direct order could get us dismissed and destroy both our careers, so friends we'd stay, even though she'd given me an inkling there was the possibility of something more._

**_Thanks for reading xo_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Thanks so much for the response! Your reviews have been putting a big smile on my face._**

**_To the lovelies who've helped me with this, VampyreGirl86, Ipsita and SarcasticBimbo, big kisses and thanks._**

**_This chapter is expanded from the original contest entry, so I hope you enjoy :)_**

* * *

_**Chapter 2**_

_That first year, we adhered to the rules, but I took advantage of my informal role in mentoring her, and went out of my way to find opportunities to offer advice. Once I memorized her schedule, it was easy to run into her and ask if she had questions._

_While our friendship continued to develop, I had to endure young men coming to school balls as her date. Life had to go on, and I had to find girls to partner me as well. I'd always enjoyed the evening gowns, the flirting, the invitations to spend the night, but this year we were graduating, and it was like their last chance to snare an officer as a future husband, imagining a social life full of these kinds of events._

_It wasn't fair comparing them to Bella, but I couldn't help picturing her as the one in my arms. While I accepted we were just friends, it was agony wishing her well and parting for Thanksgiving and Christmas, going back home and feeling sick about boys who could do more than just talk._

_When the lacrosse season started, she would arrive with other cadets to watch whenever we played at home, and she was always around to congratulate me after the game. I encouraged her to keep coming, saying we always seemed to win when she was here. Without other ways to impress her, I know I was playing better and trying harder, because they chose me as captain. She was obviously enjoying herself, telling me she was going to try out for the women's team next year._

_Because we _did _abide by their rules, I often questioned why there was so much scrutiny around us, why there was always a superior barking at us to move on if we stopped to speak to each other, until the day Colonel Swan came to speak to the seniors._

_He called me over by name as I was leaving the lecture, and I saluted, surprised he knew who I was._

"_Good luck in the game tomorrow," he said. "You're captaining?"_

"_Yes, sir, there's quite a rivalry between the Black Knights and Navy."_

"_Oh, I know. I played here myself—class of 1930."_

_At first, I had to work out if he was joking, and then I laughed. "It would be great to have you here to cheer us on, sir."_

"_I'll be here. My daughter has told me all about this year's team and how you're going to win. She's thinking of playing lacrosse herself next season."_

_Swan. _

_Playing next season. _

_Suddenly, I realized whose daughter they'd been protecting from me._

"_Bella tells me you've been a big help to her this year."_

_Mustering every ounce of courage I had, I looked him straight in the eye. "It's my job, sir, and she has a lot of questions."_

"_Yes, she does." Clapping me on the back, he chuckled. "Well, I imagine you have practice, so I won't hold you further."_

"_Thank you, sir." Saluting, I walked out of the hall and had to hold my chest to stop my heart from exploding._

_It was seven all at the end of the fourth quarter and everyone was in battle mode. The vicious attacks to intercept would bear bruises tonight. As a midfielder, I was always ready to pick up a stray ball and score myself, but this game had become so fast and physical, it crossed over into controlled chaos. Lahote took a shot at the goal in the final minute, just missing the edge of the net, and I chased after the ball with them all coming for me. Scooping it up, I spun around and flicked it to Newton who was powering up the field. He caught it, smashed it into the net, and we won._

_The crowd roared and half the team landed on me. Trying to stay upright, I looked into the stand and saw Bella jumping up and down. The Colonel had both hands in the air when she wrapped her arms around him._

* * *

_As the school year came to a close, I had to face reality. Bella had enrolled in Combat Medic summer school, and I only had the Officers Leadership Course left. I'd soon be starting my branch training in Arizona, and she'd still have three more years at West Point. While I was sure she'd grown fond of me, I'd never kissed her, put my arm around her, or even held her hand. _

_Then she asked what I was doing between final exams and graduation, if I'd like to show her around my hometown. She was going to stay at a place near Central Park. There was no garage, and she gave me instructions to take the train to 96th Street which was right near the address. She didn't have a phone, but she left me a number where I could tell the doorman if I was going to be late. He would buzz her when I arrived._

_After days full of cramming for exams, I'd go to sleep planning a week with her in New York. Taking her to my favorite tourist spots, I had less-known places in mind that might impress her._

_I knew I was ready going into my final exams, and I left school certain I'd done well, relieved it was over. Crossing the Hudson, it hit me that this was one of the last times I'd take this journey, but I was looking forward to a week away from the rules, doing whatever we wanted. _

_Mom had been an angel when I told her I was on a time limit and asked her to launder a few outfits for me. Leaving them on my bed, neatly folded, she'd ironed a couple of good shirts, and I stared at the predicament in front of me._

_Concerned, she asked, "Is something wrong?" _

"_No, Mom, it's just … I don't know if I'm invited to stay." _

"_You like this girl?" she asked, laying a hand on my upper arm, and I nodded, not willing to admit how much. "Well, if you're going in on the subway, you should probably take a few options so you don't have to come back and change." _

_My mother was incredible. "I miss you," I declared, pulling her into a hug._

_Cupping my cheeks, she smiled. "Now take that uniform off and get in the shower or you'll be keeping her waiting."_

_Bella's building was one of the Art Deco blocks in this part of the city, and the doorman acted as if he was expecting me. "Mr. Cullen is here to see you," he mumbled into his phone, and then introduced himself as Alistair, telling me she would be right down. A minute later, the elevator doors opened, and there she was, beaming at me. Her hair was long and free from the bun she had to wear at school, and today's uniform was Converse sneakers, black jeans and a short white t-shirt that showed enough skin to grab my attention._

"_Are you coming?" she asked, holding the door open and eyeing the bag I was carrying._

_"I brought a couple of outfits since I wasn't sure where we were going."_

_"Good thinking," she replied as she waved at Alistair. As soon as the doors closed, she threw her arms around my neck. "I'm so happy you're here."_

_Dropping the bag on the floor, I buried my nose in her hair and pulled her body against me. With only the fabric of our t-shirts between us, I could tell she wasn't wearing a bra. When the doors opened, she released me and took my hand. _

_With a glint in her eye, she said, "I want to show you something," and led me out to a rooftop terrace with a commanding view of the park and the reservoir to the right. "Isn't this amazing? The only thing between us and Central Park is the church."_

_I looked around, thinking she'd booked a penthouse, but there was no apartment up here. "This is communal space," she stated, reading my mind. Putting an arm around my waist, she looked up and added, "We're down on the twelfth floor."_

_We went back down in the elevator and she unlocked the door, walking inside before me. There was a smell of fresh paint as she showed me two bedrooms, a living/dining room and a narrow galley kitchen. It was nice, much nicer than I'd expected, and I wondered who was paying for this._

"_Sit down and take a load off." She pulled out a stool at the end of the counter. "Can I get you a soft drink or coffee?"_

_When she opened the fridge, I cringed when I saw it was already stocked with food. "Bella, you know I'm almost at the end of my savings. I don't have a lot of money."_

"_But you'll be earning good money soon. Edward, my father bought this apartment for me, and I intend to pay him back when I'm able. For now, it's going to be a vacation rental, so you don't have to worry about a thing."_

"_So ... this will be yours?" I asked, appraising the space in a different light._

"_Only as an investment. I don't see myself ever living here. Mom and Dad need a base in New York when there's something on at West Point, and I want somewhere to stay when I get leave." _

_Her words hit me like a punch in the gut, and I spoke without thinking. "And this where you'll bring your friends … your boyfriends?"_

_Coming to stand between my legs, she wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Silly."_

"_Why am I silly?" I asked, softening a little._

"_Why would I lead anyone on by bringing them here?" A single finger traced the line of my jaw, and her lips were so close, I felt the heat of her breath. "Boys have tried to touch me before, but I don't let them." Looking at my lips, she added, "Not when I've been waiting for you."_

_Hell, my fantasies came to life in that simple declaration. Intoxicated, I was her captive, begging for nourishment, but what she was offering deserved my care and reverence. Touching her hair, I stared at my fingers gliding down the silky skin of her cheek. _

_Her lips turned up in a smile and she said, "I couldn't let you go away and not know how I feel about you."_

_Kissing her as gently as I could, I let her get used to me, and didn't make a move until she moaned as her tongue met mine. Tasting her for the first time had me hard as a rock, and she whimpered when I slid my hand under her t-shirt. God, her lips were so soft and her tits were just … perfection._

_I'd been with girls before, but it was always at the end of a boozy evening and nothing more than getting off. With Bella, it was entirely different—making love slow and tender—letting a gorgeous eighteen-year-old virgin show me the way. _

_We didn't see much of New York that week. If we weren't making out, we were screwing, and it was the same whenever we found a way to take leave at the same time. We never could keep our hands off each other—_

"Sir, can you spare me a few minutes?"

I looked up at the head of our Secret Service detail and had to rid my mind of the x-rated memories. He looked the part this morning in his new black suit, all six feet four of him, and I smiled, knowing I'd had the luxury of choosing him.

"Yes, McCarty, sitting room?" I opened my arm for him to go ahead.

"Sir, are you both wearing your body armor?"

"Yes, and it's surprisingly comfortable." I sat down and he looked like he was going to pace. "Sit down, Emmett."

He lowered himself to the edge of a chair. "I want you ready to leave in ten minutes. At nine hundred hours, we'll arrive at St. John's. The second detail will have already swept the church and cleaned the area of any suspicious persons, and all photographic equipment is getting a thorough check before it's allowed inside. You don't have to pose for photos, but there will be cameras on you every minute today, so use the quiet time to relax and clear your head."

I nodded, imagining the effect all the intense scrutiny would have on our family dynamic.

"We'll have you at the White House before ten, and that's where I'll leave you to come back for your family."

"You'll let me out of the car first, and we'll come around to get her, right?"

"Every time."

"No one gets left behind." We said it in unison—the motto we'd used during the war.

"Not on my watch, sir."

"Do you think it's acceptable if we hold hands?" I asked.

"No, sir, I'll need both hands free to protect the First Family," he deadpanned.

I tried not to smirk, but gave in and chuckled, reminding myself why I was entrusting this man with the lives of my family. Emmett McCarty had already taken a bullet for me and saved my life after a careless mistake we would never repeat.

_My first tour of duty in Afghanistan had been short, mainly confined to the base at Bagram, implementing a secure communication system we'd developed back home. It gave the base direct contact with the soldiers, allowing real time intel into the database they used to identify changes in enemy behavior. While I went out on maneuvers to test the equipment and saw the occasional casualty coming in, I never felt like my life was in danger._

_Then 9/11 happened and everything changed. After a promotion to Captain, they deployed me to Afghanistan again__—back to __Bagram for a two-year tour. The base had already doubled in size, and barracks were going up everywhere. It now had a hospital with twenty-five beds._

_It was our mission to gather ground intel while providing protection for Afghan civilians and casualties coming back to base for treatment or air evacuation to Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany. With three lieutenants and thirty enlisted men under my command, I took my responsibility seriously, making sure every soldier could recognize the dangers in the desert and towns._

_I was very lucky to get Emmett McCarty as my Senior NCO, and I chose to keep him close by. We were both twenty-seven and from very different worlds, but he had a way with the men, able to turn orders into chunks of action everyone could clearly understand, so I used his experience. Three days a week, we joined the units in the field, and with two previous tours under his belt, he knew a plan would never run through to completion without having to make an adjustment along the way, and his ability to think on his feet was invaluable._

* * *

_At the end of the year, I was burning out, unsure what we were achieving when it was never clear who the enemy was. Music from a new millennium played all day at the base, a disheartening soundtrack of love and loss and sex. The only thing keeping me going was two weeks off for Christmas and seeing my girl._

_McCarty and I were sent to Kabul, on orders to ascertain how three informants under the army's protection ended up in a derelict house with their throats cut. The captain's report had been vague and full of discrepancies, and they asked us to take a look at the scene, then talk to him and go over his answers._

_We found a leader suffering from a severe stress disorder, ranting about the lives of his men being more important than the scum they protected, while his soldiers were scared to death. It took us a while to convince them that lying would waste everyone's time and end up in a court-martial. Eventually, they admitted they hadn't followed procedure, handing over cash to the owner of a small hotel and locking their charges in a room so they could have a quiet meal together without having to guard them. When they came back, the men were gone and the hotel owner was dead._

_I understood the feeling of wanting it to stop so I could take a breath and be normal for an hour, and I hated Kabul, hated seeing the destruction, knowing there were a hundred eyes in the rubble always watching. How they thought they could rebuild with all the uncertainty and mistrust was baffling._

_When we arrived back at the base, Bella had left a message, saying she was being deployed to the Combat Service Hospital in Kandahar. I managed to get through to her and she sobbed her way through the call, telling me she didn't have a date yet, but that it would be soon, before Christmas. I told her I was going to find out if I could take my leave there, but she said her missions would keep her away for days at a time, and I needed a good break, relaxing with my family, not cooped up in a tent at an army hospital. I knew she was right, but I was bitterly disappointed._

_Then one of our helicopters took a missile on route to Landstuhl, killing two wounded soldiers and an entire medevac team, and it felt like someone crossed a line. I couldn't take my leave and go home, buy gifts and enjoy any sort of Christmas when all I could think about was the way those poor families would be spending the holidays._

"_It's a girl leader this time," McCarty stated, reading the list of personnel coming in to replace the fallen. "First Lieutenant Swan. Female."_

"_What's her first name?" I asked, wanting to rip the paper from his hands._

"_Isabella."_

_I started laughing and suddenly, the woes of the world didn't matter, 'cause Santa was coming with something for me._

_**Thanks for reading xo**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_You've really blown me away with your reviews this week and I will respond as soon as I get a chance._**

**_Thank you so much to VampyreGirl86, Ipsita and SarcasticBimbo, for everything you do._**

**_This is another expanded chapter, and all mistakes are mine._**

* * *

_**Chapter 3**_

_It took forty-eight hours to commandeer a new tent and a decent air conditioner, and I had a double bed in place when Bella arrived. Our quarters were ready for a Brigadier General's inspection when one of my men ran up to tell me they were coming in, so I was on the tarmac when the Chinook touched down. _

_The nervous energy she radiated must have perfectly matched mine, and the smile I hadn't seen in a year lifted my spirits so high that I ran to her, desperate to feel she was real, hugging and kissing the hell out of her. Grinning, I carried all her gear while she danced in front of me, saying she didn't know they were diverting her until she reached the transit center in Krygyzstan. Chuckling, I told her we probably found out before she did, and led her inside, proudly introducing her as my fiancée. As soon as she finished reporting for duty, I took her to show off our room. _

_From the moment Bella arrived, we never made a secret of our feelings for one another, that we were sleeping together, that we'd die for each other. It was an awful way to get a posting together, but we were going to make the most of the time while we could, knowing there was always something coming to keep us apart._

_Having Bella at Bagram made me realize how little joy there'd been in my life. I looked forward to routine events that brought us together, like lingering over a meal full of laughter, or when she'd sit on my lap and I'd nuzzle her neck, keeping her close. _

_Falling asleep with her warmth and the scent of our lovemaking were pleasures I would never take for granted again._

* * *

_After I'd planned to buy all my Christmas gifts in New York, Bella was now here, and I had nothing to give her. It had been below zero nearly every night lately, and while we had our issued bedding and layers of clothing, I thought she might like some extra comfort. When I asked the men if they'd seen any warm woolen blankets I could buy as a gift, Lieutenant Uley said he'd bought a hand-knitted bedspread for his mother from a woman on the outskirts of town. _

_We took McCarty with us, and as Uley said, she was friendly, greeting us warmly and even speaking a little English. Her work was not dyed—only the natural colors she spun directly from the animals she tended— but they were so soft and light, I knew I'd found what I was after. _

* * *

_Bella noticed how low morale was in the lead up to Christmas, and she wanted to plan something where people could come together and share stories, to feel like they belonged while so far from their families. Then the head cook beckoned her after dinner, and I watched while he spoke and she took notes. When she hugged him, I wondered if she'd found her plan and that it had something to do with food—perfect for Christmas, actually._

"_What are you up to?" I asked when she came back and sat down beside me._

"_You'll find out when I know I can pull it off, Captain."_

"_Must be something big, then. Are you taking on more than you can handle?"_

"_No, it's nothing big, really. It's just … you'll see."_

_I wasn't surprised when the kitchen staff met her helicopter, taking delivery of five large boxes a couple of days before Christmas, or when a poster went up on the noticeboard, announcing a gingerbread-house-making-competition for the morning of Christmas Day._

"_Gingerbread supplied, Bella? How are we going to manage that?"_

_She kissed me and smiled. "You're a boy, so I guess you've never made it because we have most of the ingredients here already. I just had to pick up the ground ginger, corn syrup, cookie cutters and a whole lot of candy."_

"_In Germany," I said, shaking my head. _

"_It's not difficult for our cooks to make the gingerbread sheets, and then the individuals get to put them together and decorate. It's fun. Mom and I used to make one when I was a kid, and I remember it took a while, so we'll have time to talk and get to know each other. You never know, some of the men might even join in."_

* * *

_Bella loved the blanket I bought for her. She wrapped it around us and refused to let me go. Then she gave me her gift—the most decadent pillow in the universe—and she'd bought herself one as well. Our bed was now an oasis of pleasure. _

_That morning, thirty-three women and two men came to make gingerbread houses. Many more sat down to decorate a gingerbread man. Bella assisted them to assemble the buildings, and the cooks in our kitchen were outstanding, bringing out a gooey marshmallow in piping bags so they could decorate them with snow._ _As they talked and helped each other, some had tears and others shared stories of their own holidays, very different from ours. _

_Everyone admired the gingerbread houses at a lunch of roast chicken, beans, carrots, mashed potatoes, and a delicious gravy. We wore paper hats and ate cake and candy-decorated gingerbread for dessert. As I looked around the hall, there was something about the camaraderie, more than just the fact it was Christmas, and I knew it had everything to do with my girl._

* * *

_We'd just delivered three critical soldiers to a waiting helicopter when McCarty realized Bella was at the controls. "She flies as well?"_

"_Yeah, one of the pilots is down with dysentery."_

_His mouth hung open as they lifted into the sky and headed north._

"_How have I known you for a year and you never mentioned you had this woman?"_

"_She's not mine. She belongs to the U.S. Army."_

"_But you're in love with her. Crazy, madly in love."_

_I had to nod. There was no denying it._

"_You don't talk about her, don't miss her when she's gone?_

_It was a conversation I preferred to avoid. "Do you know how many times a heart can break? I have to switch it off quickly and completely because I can't control when I'll see her again."_

"_Vacations?" he asked sarcastically, as if I'd never considered them._

"_We _have _had vacations, and some have been cancelled."_

"_Man, I hate that. You count down and then have to suck it up and start over again."_

"_We had to cancel our wedding." I waited for enough silence to be sure he heard me right. "So it's better not to look too far forward."_

"_You _do _need a vacation, Captain," he offered, counselling me. "Your edges were fraying before she turned up."_

"_I know."_

"_Maybe it will be easier to get leave together when you only have one battalion involved."_

_I sighed. "Or harder. They'd be down two officers, and the body count's still climbing."_

"_It's fucked up. That's for sure. What are we doing here when Bin Laden's long gone? Soldiers are dying, and for what?"_

* * *

_Although everyone gave her a hard time, most of them turned up for Bella's hilarious karaoke evenings and talent quests. It never mattered who was terrible or amazingly good, as long as everyone was included, and the events gave us all something happy to talk about for days. Giving her my time when we were both at the base, I worked like a dog to catch up when she flew off to Germany. Keeping busy took my mind off the dangers she faced in the air._

* * *

_One afternoon, Bella arrived back at the base early after her team lost a soldier en route to hospital. She was understandably depressed, and the sky was clear with little artillery noise, so I built a small fire in the pit so we could sit outside for the sunset. I wrapped a blanket around us, thinking it would comfort her, but she was terribly upset._

"_You can't perform miracles."_

"_I shouldn't have to, Edward, and I don't understand why we're doing this. It's not what I signed up for."_

_I kissed her hair and rubbed her arm while she wiped the tears from her cheeks._

"_While you were away, I requested joint leave for April and I think we'll get it. How would you like to go to Paris and have a honeymoon, then wait until we're back home before we try to book the West Point Chapel again?"_

_She laughed through her tears and touched my cheek. "Yes, I'd love to do that. I love you. Thank you."_

* * *

_As the bitter cold of winter retreated, time seemed to pass quickly, and we started counting down the days until our leave._

_McCarty and I had reviewed Black's plan for the morning and were accompanying his unit to observe and critique. He was a good lieutenant, ready for promotion, and I already had the paperwork completed to recommend him. We weren't far from the base, following them to a location where there had been a shooting the night before._

_We had been developing a relationship with an elderly man called Zarek, a sort of realtor in Bagram, and he was meeting us with keys so we could search the premises. Harmless and friendly, he put up with our attempts at Dari, the Afghani Persian language they speak here, accepting our fresh oranges and responding in his own form of English, always promoting his nephew's coffee lounge to the "Rich Americans."_

_We reached the address, and there was no Zarek to meet us. McCarty's radar pinged and he wanted to retreat, but Black asked us to wait for a minute in case the man was running late. When we discovered the door was unlocked, we readied our weapons and Black eased it open, finding Zarek inside._

_Dropping our threatening stance, we were scanning the room when the sound of rapid fire filled the air with the smell of chaos as a spray of bullets hit my chest, shoulder, my arm, and knee, and I fell, unable to support myself any longer._

_McCarty put himself between the shooter and me, killing the man who had laid in wait behind the door. Zarek was dead and Black was down with blood pooling by his neck. McCarty was wounded as well, declaring that no one was getting left behind._

_The next thing I remembered was lying in the helicopter with Bella looking down on me. "I'm taking you to hospital, soldier. You have been wounded in combat and we've stabilized you. That means we're getting you out of here. You are not going to die."_

_It sounded like a regulation speech she gave to every injured soldier, and I tried to take her hand but my arm wouldn't work. "Bella?"_

"_I've given you something for the pain, Edward, so try to sleep, my love. I'll see you at the hospital—"_

"I'm ready, gentlemen." My wife was a vision in a ruby coat, its silver buttons honoring a time when she wore a military uniform, but this was no uniform. A designer had created the exact look she wanted and her makeup artist had enhanced her beauty. The color she'd chosen, neither red nor blue, looked amazing with her brown hair in its perennial bun and earrings just like her silver buttons. Her only other jewelry was the diamond ring I gave her and her wedding band.

"Oh, Bella." I couldn't find words to adequately describe the moment or the emotions it drew.

She smiled and ran her hand over the back of my neck. "Emily, come and show daddy."

My daughter came in and twirled slowly, a mini version of my wife, twelve years old and growing rapidly before my eyes. She also wore a beautiful coat, but hers was dark green with oversized black buttons, the skirt fanning out from the waist to her black tights and ankle boots. She was going to break someone's heart one day, just like her mother.

"No jeans? Are you sure you're Emily Cullen?"

She came over and plonked herself in my lap. "Mom says we have to lift our game now."

"Bean!" Liam poked his big head in the door.

Emily leaned into my neck. "He's a horrible brother."

"Oh, I know! You're a pickle!" he continued.

She jumped down and ran from the room to attack him.

"Are we sure about this?" I asked, imagining the world's stage commenting on our children if they started this kind of behavior.

"Edward, they'll be fine. Dad will speak to them about protocol and occasion." Looking at her phone, she asked, "Should we go?"

"Yes, ma'am," McCarty replied.

* * *

I felt her anxiety increase as we drove through the gates of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, our next home. The scale of the buildings was still overwhelming, even though we'd been here before in several capacities, usually in a cavalcade of shiny limousines, but today it was just us and two Secret Service cars. There would be many more with us when we came back.

McCarty turned around. "Use the restrooms in the White House before you leave, and when it's over, you don't get in a vehicle unless I'm there to escort you in."

"Got it," she replied and squeezed my hand.

When we pulled up, he opened my door. Covering me while I walked around to her side of the car, he waited until each corner of the vehicle had a Secret Service agent in place, ready to protect us from incoming danger.

Then McCarty leaned in and spoke to her. "Ma'am, when you return, you'll be the Commander in Chief, and I want you to know it will be my honor to serve you."

She touched his bicep and replied, "No, soldier, it will be my honor to serve _you_."

Taking my hand, she lowered her feet to the ground, and smiled sweetly at the couple waiting to greet us. We ascended the stairs, and she addressed the acting President as "Sir." Even though she had beaten him, he was currently her superior.

He replied with "Madam" and shook her hand before she turned to the acting First Lady who greeted her warmly. I followed her lead in calling him "Sir" and shook his hand briefly. He made no small talk with either of us, but his wife was cordial, thanking us for the gift we'd sent during the week.

We stood with them while photographers captured the changing of the guard, and then we retreated into the haven of the White House.

Inside, in front of the press, they went out of their way to make us feel comfortable, filling us in on what to expect from the day ahead and wishing us great success. They were quite charming and relaxed talking about vacating a home that was never truly theirs.

I had little to say to Victoria James on the way to the Capitol, my mind on the flags flapping on our car and the throngs of people lining the avenue. She filled the time recounting how a hundred White House staff would remove their possessions from the second and third floors and bring in ours, right down to our toothbrushes in place when we returned. I wondered how my wife was holding up in the other vehicle, accompanying a man she despised.

_Bella was thrilled when President Masen was able to attend the inauguration. She had voted for him to become president, and he was the reason she made up her mind to run for the Senate as an Independent, seeing an honorable Republican leader rising above his party's doctrine to put the country first. His declaration of support during an afternoon tea in the Oval Office when she became a senator only reinforced her belief that he was the right leader for the time in our history._

_Masen had worked hard at breaking down the partisan divisions within Congress, asking individual members to educate themselves and vote with their conscience, then just as they were writing important reform bills to rejuvenate the country, a stroke put him in hospital for a month, and it looked like he would make a full recovery when another one struck._

_Washington was still reeling when his right side paralysis continued, and six weeks later, he needed assistance to walk. He could sign his signature, but had lost the ability to communicate verbally or in written form. However, his other mental capabilities had not been affected, and VP James took over in a temporary capacity, saying there was no need to invoke the sections of the 25th Amendment to remove a president who would soon be back._

_When months passed, the momentum the President had created slowed to a halt. James did not have Masen's strength or influence, and Congress split in two again, fighting over the best ways to move forward._

_James had always promoted himself as Masen's biggest supporter, and yet there were rumors he wanted the President out of the way, but had no wish for the Speaker of the House to become his second-in-charge._

_No one wanted to believe he had an agenda until he moved into the White House, announcing the First Family would reside at Camp David until the President's return to office. Bella was appalled and began referring to him as "the parasite."_

Arriving at the Capitol in a line of limousines, there were people everywhere, and I joined my wife, waiting together as the most famous people in the world paid their respects to us and greeted each other like good friends. They were being managed carefully into position because there was a very specific order to this procession, with names being announced as they came out into the frosty air.

Bella hugged her new VP and his partner when they approached us. He'd earned this just as much as she had, and we were going to enjoy the next four years with them on the team.

_Having dinner with the Swans one night, we were discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates in the race for the next election. Bella was lamenting the fact that Senator Weber was reluctant to run after she'd watched his rise in popularity and knew his philosophies were aligned with hers._

_Then the retired Major General asked why _she _wasn't running. As soon as our eyes met, I knew she had already considered the idea. We'd been indirectly talking about it for years._

"_Where did you think your career was going, Bella? The military, war, running for local office, state, and now a Senator. What was supposed to be next?"_

"_If I'm not re-elected, there are plenty of opportunities, sir."_

"_Why _not _you?" I asked, letting them know I'd support her. Hell, I would have died if not for _her_. "Your credentials and experience are impeccable."_

_She just snorted. "You've had too much to drink." I lifted my eyebrows to reinstate the question, but she shook her head. "The first woman president? You're crazy."_

_I laid down the challenge, as I'd done many times before. "Of course, you'd have to win the primaries first, and if Weber isn't going to join the race, he might agree to be your running mate. Number One Observatory Circle is still a very nice address."_

_Rolling her eyes at me, she asked, "What about our kids, Edward?"_

_Renee finally said something. "I'll help you. We'll both help you. We're only ever going to have two grandchildren."_

_Bella looked at her father, who took a sip of his brandy and smiled._

**_Thanks for reading xo_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_This week, I've loved your incredible reviews so much! Please forgive me for failing to reply to everyone because I'm struggling to keep up and write._**

**_Big kisses to VampyreGirl86, Ipsita and SarcasticBimbo, for all your help, and t_****_hank you to ADF and The Lemonade Stand for recommending this story. New readers have come my way because of your fantastic support._**

**_More apologies - I couldn't stop tweaking and expanding this chapter, so all mistakes are mine._**

* * *

_**Chapter 4**_

_Bella was quiet once we farewelled her parents. She asked me to check on the kids while she finished tidying up, and I understood she had a lot on her mind. As we got ready for bed, she asked, "You were serious tonight, weren't you?"_

"_Deadly serious, and so was your father." _

"_Do you really understand what this involves—the amount of time we have to devote to the campaign? It's not just me—you'd have to take leave."_

_I dumped the extra pillows on a chair and slipped into bed. "If you're trying to talk yourself out of it—"_

"_I'm trying to be realistic, Edward." Sitting down, she looked at the ceiling and sighed._

"_What's real is I'd vote for you in a heartbeat, and so will this country when they find out what I know."_

_With eyes brimming with tears, she looked over my face. "You know, I've always tried to be like you … the way you lead … the way you inspire those you command."_

_I turned the compliment back on her. "Your ambition always inspired me."_

_She got into bed and faced me. "We have to be prepared to go all the way and hold our heads high if we lose. I'm gonna need your tenacity if we're going to do this."_

"My_ tenacity? Which one of us is the United States Senator?"_

_She shook her head. "Oh, you're tenacious alright. After all you went through, you completed your twenty years to retire as a Lieutenant Colonel. I was only a First Lieutenant when I bailed out of the army."_

"_So what if our careers took different paths? We've still _both _served our country."_

_Nodding, she smiled and ran her fingers through my hair. "No matter what happens, I want you to know I feel blessed. I have the most incredible partner and lover in the world, and my kids have the dad I wanted for them. Every success I've had has been because of you."_

_None of that was true, but I wasn't about to argue while she rewarded me with kisses—each one more sensual than the last—her warm body stirring my desire as she pressed herself against me. _

* * *

_Three weeks and dozens of phone calls later, Bella had a reluctant running mate who agreed to meet us just to see if it was possible to move forward, and we drove to a town called Mount Vernon in Ohio for a long weekend together. Bella had found the perfect venue halfway between us: a pre-civil war barn, secluded on thirty acres with a stream running alongside, recently restored to become an Airbnb. The photo of Abraham Lincoln above the fireplace convinced her to book it. I was eager to get away and hear what the two of them came up with, especially since I had access to all the data they could ever need._

_We started with a meal and talked about our backgrounds, education, experience, and family situations. Ben and Angela Weber were younger than us, and their story of falling in love and marrying was very different to ours. A fellow army vet, he'd entered the military through the Reserves and wanted to know what it was like going through West Point. During his deployment in Afghanistan, he'd been stationed in areas we knew, and we discussed the differences a decade had made to the war._

_He was interested in what happened when I was injured, and Bella described how my body armor and the quick reflexes of my NCO had saved my life but couldn't protect a knee shattered beyond repair. At least no one had died as a result of the incident—McCarty was already on the ground when she returned to Bagram, and Black was back from Landstuhl a week later._

_With the formalities out of the way, they settled in to isolate the issues they felt were most critical: climate change, gun control, poverty, health care, education, and immigration. I recorded their ideas on my laptop, plugged into the big TV._

_They didn't always see the same ways to tackle problems, but they were both smart enough to listen to another point of view, and I smiled, watching them begin to negotiate._

_Regarding climate change, they had both studied the arguments for and against, and agreed cutting fossil fuel emissions was a good thing whether the major effects hit the planet in ten or a hundred years. He wanted the polluters to fund the conversion since they'd been aware and done nothing about it. She wanted to tax them out of existence and make clean power so much cheaper their businesses would die._

_He had a vision for new American motor vehicle companies selling electric cars to the rest of the world. She agreed, but wanted to incorporate a shift in society at the same time, where public transport was safe and reliable enough for families to only need one car, where vegan burgers tasted as good as red meat, quoting McDonalds Aloo Tikki veggie burger already on the menu._

"_It's happening without our input," she said, but none of us had ever heard of the burger. I bet Liam told her he tried one, thinking he was cool._

_When the gun control issue was on the table, I knew Bella would have plenty to say. Since she joined the Senate, she had been questioning why we weren't banning the weapons we'd used in the war. We all wanted to stop the mass shootings, but Weber asked her how she would sell her proposal to Middle America. She sat back for now, but I knew she would fight to the death on this matter._

_After a lot of discussion on ways to move the budget to more deserving areas, Bella asked me to show them the staggering figures on how much we'd spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the money the VA needed to rehabilitate and care for the wounded. I had data on the drug addictions, suicides, mental illness, and the hidden costs to families bearing the brunt of caring for their disabled veteran at home._

_We looked at the numbers deployed, wounded and killed in both wars and compared it to other countries in the coalition. They revealed that the US was carrying the rest of the world._

_It was Bella who eventually summarized what we'd seen. "We can't afford this, can we? The money, the lives, the ongoing care?" When everyone agreed, the defense budget suddenly joined the list of priorities._

_Revisiting certain issues, she asked him to look at the problem from a different perspective. In her element, arguing tactically, she was devastating, and I fell in love with her all over again._

_Bella talked all the way home, inspired and energized like she had been before every big step in her career. Whether he agreed to run with her or not, she'd made up her mind to enter the race, determined to talk to people in the street. With nothing to lose, she would focus on delivering her message, rather than winning, and see how Americans responded to her brand of change._

* * *

_When she hadn't heard from Weber in a week, Bella called to ask if he'd made up his mind, and he admitted he had concerns about them running together. Since he was a Democrat and she was Independent, he had doubts it could work. As an Independent President, she would struggle to get anything passed without the votes of her party behind her, and if she wanted him to fight all the way to the top, then one of them would have to compromise._

_Disappointed, she didn't disclose she was thinking of running whether he joined her or not, and for a while, she brushed off my questions, saying she still had three more years to serve before seeking re-election in the Senate. It was probably wise to wait until the kids went to college, anyway, so it would be much easier in another four years._

"_And what if James is elected?" I asked, sitting down on our bed. "Do you want a man like him as our president?"_

"_Everyone knows he's ineffectual, Edward. They won't elect him." She walked into the bathroom and started brushing her teeth._

_I followed her and leaned against the door jam. "When half the country associates him with Masen?"_

_She took the toothbrush from her mouth. "The polls show his approval is down."_

"_Who is going to beat him, then? They all have a weakness he attacks, and if he chooses to rise above the personal, he just keeps repeating that the country can't afford their harebrained schemes. Who is putting forward the plan to fund the changes we need in this country?"_

_She stared at me without a comeback. The grand plan was so overwhelming, it defied everyone's capacity. They'd been fighting for years to expose corruption, the hold big companies had over the country's wealth, but they still weren't winning the war._

"_Even your father says the Democrats are fighting like battalions while no one is leading the corps."_

_Rinsing, she shut off the faucet. "This is not the army."_

"_No, but it's a war he can win with propaganda. He's already saying, 'A vote for me is a second term for President Masen,' when you and I know the President will never return to office." Moisturizing her face, she looked in the mirror, pretending to ignore me. "You're dealing with a snake who's maneuvered his way into the White House, so don't underestimate what he'll do if he wins. You won't beat an opponent you can't anticipate, one you'll never truly understand."_

"_On that note, I'm going to bed, Edward," she announced, walking past me and pulling back the sheets._

"_What's the plan after you lose a battle, soldier?"_

_She sighed and turned off her light, pulling the covers up around her. "Retreat, regroup, study the loss, find a new way to win."_

"_Yes," I said, taking my turn in the bathroom. I really wasn't trying to be negative. All I wanted was for her to think about a different strategy, because she often came up with unique solutions. I also knew that if she didn't run and James was elected, she would regret the decision not to join the fight._

* * *

_Getting a message to the President, Bella was granted an audience and drove up to Camp David to meet with him. Bravely intending to ask for his guidance, she came home calm and emboldened to continue on her own, possessing something she never expected. President Masen had given her his private cell number._

_She announced and started to campaign on her own. After a month, and ten million dollars in donations, she was over the moon when Weber finally agreed to join as her running mate. The campaign team now required a slogan that encapsulated these two candidates. They had both vowed to work closely with Congress to get important bills passed, and she desperately wanted to encourage Masen's culture where individual members were brave enough to vote for the good of the country instead of toeing the party line._

_Bella listened as the suggestions fell flat and died, coming up with "Team United States" on her own. Scrambling to find out if it was associated with any current body, they couldn't find a reason to veto it._

_Sometimes, the four of us went on the campaign trail, but more often, it was just the pair of them. They found that two people with strong ideas could cover more topics than a candidate whose running mate spouted the same. Between them, they covered the gamut of policies where many other candidates ran on a platform of one or two. NBC introduced a Friday night program dedicated to fact checking what all the candidates said during the week that became must-see TV for us._

_Bella had no obvious weakness the opposition could attack, so James began referring to her as "Mrs. Cullen," belittling her status as a "baby senator" and portraying her as a mere wife and mother. Personally furious, she never responded, knowing not to engage him._

_She was heading to California for radio and television appearances when Ellen DeGeneres invited me to join Bella on the show. Ellen had already interviewed many other candidates and explained she wanted something different from us. Avoiding the usual political questions, she would concentrate on how we met and married, and what it was actually like for me being wounded in Afghanistan. They asked us to provide a wedding photo._

_Retrieving the best photo from our wedding album, I got carried away and pulled out the real oldies from our early years together. I'd only managed to see her twice during my first year in Arizona, scrambling to get back to New York to partner her at a West Point ball. It was such a rush, arriving on Saturday morning after a late flight from Tucson and having to take another back on Sunday afternoon, but it was worth it to have the experience denied to me during her plebe year. Hell, I would have done anything to spend two days and a night with her. Now, I couldn't stop smiling at the photos of both of us in uniform and grinning, our hands never far from each other. _

_I grabbed another album and opened the pages to see Bella, bikini-clad and tanned with the Pacific Ocean behind her, and remembered one of our best ever vacations._

_We were not permitted to take leave until we'd completed twelve months, so I was thrilled when they approved the two weeks she was free before summer school started. She agreed to come to _me _this time, and I had in my mind somewhere chilled out near the ocean where we could totally relax. Not knowing the west coast at all, I asked around for recommendations, and someone mentioned a place south of Los Angeles called Manhattan Beach, a sleepy town with a historic pier and miles of clean sand. _

_Something appealed in the way he described the long rolling waves and the scent of the ocean, mixing with the smell of food wafting from cafes and restaurants. I managed to find a holiday letting agent who had a cottage that overlooked the ocean and was perfect for a couple. It was ridiculously expensive, but I didn't give a hoot when I'd found a hidey-hole to keep Bella to myself._

_The photos brought back such wonderful memories: the fun we had at Disneyland, the day we had lunch at a big hotel and spent the afternoon by their pool, swimming in the ocean, walking miles along the beach and jogging all the way back. Most days, we stayed at the beach, strolling to brunch after a morning of sex that only made us horny for more. _

_Like the apartment in New York, Manhattan Beach became a love nest during my years in Arizona. We'd even taken the kids there a couple of times, and since we were going to L.A. without them, I decided to surprise Bella and booked a weekend at the beach on our own._

_The day came to go to the studio, and I was nervous, worried I'd say the wrong thing and have it blow up in our faces, but Bella told me to relax because whatever happened would be lighthearted and fun. Bella had been on the show before and we'd watched it over the years, so I knew music would play when we heard her announce our names. They'd chosen Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It" for our entry, and the whole audience was into it, so it was easy to dance our way in, and we continued while they clapped along with the beat. After we received a very warm hug, we sat down and held hands._

"_So, the last time you were here, you'd just become a senator," Ellen stated._

_Bella nodded. "Three years ago."_

"_And what does this guy think about you running for the presidency?"_

"_She's my favorite candidate," I replied, kissing my wife's hand._

_Her pale blue eyes stayed on me. "You have two kids. How old are they now?"_

"_Liam's thirteen and Emily's eleven."_

"_You fell in love when you were at West Point together?"_

_I looked to my wife for the right answer, but she squeezed my hand as if she trusted me._

"_Technically yes, but we weren't allowed to date, so we remained friends for a year."_

_The reaction from the audience made us look around, seeing a photo taken at my graduation when she was eighteen and I was twenty-one._

"_You were so young. Did you ever think you'd met too early?"_

"_I didn't," Bella said earnestly. "Right away, I knew Edward was honorable, the kind of man my father told me to look for. He was pretty cute, too, but you can see he gets better with age."_

_She kissed my cheek and Ellen laughed. "You had better respond to that."_

"_Well, to me, she stood out from day one. Bella was more focused, more brave than the others. That first year at West Point is tough, and she thrived when many struggled or dropped out. I don't think I need to mention she's a good sort, do I?"_

"_Why did it take you so long for you to get married?" Ellen asked._

_Bella sighed. "We were always separated, on either side of the country, and as soon as we had a chance to plan a wedding, he was deployed."_

"_Was that when you had to call off your wedding?"_

_I answered, "No, that was a year later, between deployments. They cancelled my leave."_

_There was a collective groan from the audience, and Bella responded. "We finally got a posting together in Afghanistan and three months later, Edward became a casualty of the war."_

_Ellen stared at her reverently. "You brought him home?"_

_Bella looked away for a second, probably remembering, "Yes."_

"_What was that like?"_

"_In those days, there were no advanced surgical facilities on the base at Bagram, so the wounded were stabilized and then my team flew them to an army hospital in Germany. Coming back to the States with a cargo of casualties was fifteen hours of hell. We were in a flying hospital with soldiers missing their lower bodies, or lungs burned so badly they could hardly breathe. Edward had multiple gunshot wounds and his knee was gone, but he was one of the lucky ones."_

_I had to say something. "We were grateful they let her take her leave early and accompany me home, but it was crushing when she had to return to Afghanistan and complete her deployment as soon as it ran out."_

_Bella added, "When I eventually came back, he was still taking painkillers and struggling to walk. Edward's father had discovered a class action where thousands of other people had experienced the same issues with his model of artificial knee. The guide supplied to the surgeon cutting the bone didn't match exactly with the shape of the knee. It took three more surgeries to fix the problem, and ten years for him to receive a new knee that gave him back a life without pain."_

_Ellen cheered everyone up by showing the picture of our joy on the day we finally _did _marry at West Point with Bella in her beautiful dress and me in uniform._

_I said, "I was a new man, with a great job as a senior intelligence specialist and two young children when I encouraged her to run for the Senate."_

_Ellen asked how Bella's move into public office affected the family, and I admitted we couldn't have done it without the help of her amazing mother, thanking Renee publicly._

_Then she asked, "Did I hear that you shuffle together these days to stay fit?" God knows how she found out about this private thing that started with me warming up my new knee for weight therapy. "I think you should show us." Using my eyes, I pleaded with my wife to say no, but the audience went crazy, and she was soon slipping her shoes off._

"_Really?" I asked her._

"_Yeah, why not?" she responded, and before I had a chance to argue, C+C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat" was playing, and I was getting ready to shuffle with my wife on national TV._

_Actually, I did enjoy it. When we viewed what went to air, we seemed happy and comfortable, and I liked how Ellen portrayed us as human with a history and quirks others could relate to._

**_Thanks for reading xo_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_If you're still here, then I'm so sorry for the wait. Life has been throwing everything at me lately, and until just recently, it was winning. Thanks for putting up with me as I've struggled to find time to expand this story. There's a lot of research!_**

**_To the lovelies who help me - VampyreGirl86, Ipsita and SarcasticBimbo - I send a big thank you. To all of you who read and review, offering ideas and demanding answers - you're inspirational._**

* * *

_**Chapter 5**_

_As Bella's popularity increased in the polls, the media were touting her as the perfect package: smart, family focused with high principles, a returned vet who had worked her way up the ranks, becoming a respected member of the Senate. They followed her around the country as she spoke to people everywhere, talking to small groups and large, proving she wasn't afraid of the hard questions._

_On abortion, she'd been listening while travelling the country, and the vast majority of women were telling her they wanted the freedom to make their own choice. At a higher level, she argued that a challenge to the current law would need to encompass life at every stage. Life before birth was no less important than the lives snuffed out by military weapons, pollution, and the inability to afford a hospital visit or life-saving drugs._

_The concepts kept expanding, becoming their underlying platform of tying many aspects together as a message the nation could embrace, and they ran the "Team United States" campaign as a series of layers, revealing their plans for the future gradually. While she had all the details ready, she didn't want to get bogged down in them yet. Her goal was to have the people of America believe in her vision and trust her to honor her promises._

_James began a relentless attack, labeling her as unqualified to run, an Independent going nowhere without the support of a party. Everywhere we went, the press asked for comment on his latest assault._

"_The Acting President has more important matters to deal with than trying to belittle me." Without directly firing a shot back, her responses were deliberately ambiguous, aimed at highlighting James' inability to influence a legislature hamstrung by partisan allegiance. _

_With speculation flying around about the reason he was targeting her, Bella received several requests for interviews, but she was reluctant to publicly respond. Then Nicole Wallace reached out to her, offering a chance to address his claims that she didn't have what it took to become President. _

_Nicole was the chief political analyst for MSNBC and NBC News, a woman who had worked for George W. Bush and John McCain, and penned three works of fiction about a female President and the drama surrounding her family and staff, playing out under the spotlight on Washington. Bella chuckled her way through all three books and contacted Nicole to say how much she enjoyed them. _

"_A one-on-one with Nicole Wallace? Take it," I urged her. "But set the ground rules first. Tell her you won't be drawn into a fight with James."_

_Nicole understood, but suggested the speculation would die down if America got to know Senator Cullen better, and offered an informal exchange where Bella could tell the country who she was and why she was running for the presidency. They would not have to mention James._

_When Bella finally agreed, she came to me, hesitating at first, "I want to tell my story—our story, Edward. You have to say if you want me to leave something out."_

"_I have nothing to hide."_

"_No, you don't." She smiled and wrapped her arms around my neck. "And that's one of the reasons why I love you so much."_

* * *

"_It's starting!" Renee called out from the living room. Bella was still in Washington after recording the interview on Monday. She said she was happy with how it went, and we'd seen snippets all week promoting a window into the life of our newest presidential candidate._

_The Rooftop Terrace of the W Hotel had views of the Washington Monument, the Treasury, the Jefferson Monument, and the White House itself. Nicole was using them as backdrops for the meeting that took place before the bar opened for the day. Both women frequented Washington, and they began by talking about their love for the city, setting the mood for a relaxed and cordial interview. _

"_If you do win, this will be your home for at least four years. Are you ready to move your family here?"_

_Bella snorted. "I'm always ready to pack up and move. We've lived in so many parts of the country."_

"_I'm intrigued to find out how you ended up in Virginia. We know you started your career in the Army and served in Afghanistan, but you left the military."_

"_My father was a career military man, so I thought I knew what my future would be. I never imagined I'd get out as soon as my contract was up. That wasn't part of the plan." _

_Nicole waited a moment before prompting her. "What happened to change you?"_

"_Afghanistan was what changed me. Growing up, I learned about honor and duty—that you carried out your orders to the best of your ability. I went to war, believing I was there to save lives, but most of the injuries were so severe, I feared for what sort of life they'd have left. Only Edward understood I was privately questioning everything, and how every day it was getting harder._

"_When I had to airlift him out of there, it was like a nightmare, and it killed me to leave him and return to the war. In those days, we didn't have email, so we wrote letters and were sometimes lucky enough to talk on the phone. Edward had a knee replacement, and soldiers were often redeployed after that kind of surgery, so I was anxious until he got a posting in the States. All I knew was he'd recovered enough to return to duty, and I wanted us to marry quickly so we'd be posted together. Then I came home to the Captain we'd all looked up to, the man whose absence we felt right through the battalion, only to discover he was still struggling to walk, suffering from depression, and dependent on painkillers. _

_Bella shook her head, and I wondered how far she'd take Nicole down this rabbit hole. "Edward's doctor informed me there was nothing more they could do for him. His prognosis was listed as PTSD, and over the years, I've learned that this is what happens. Good men and women come back from war broken and then slip through the cracks."_

_As I watched my wife talking so openly, I couldn't help reliving the darkness that almost overwhelmed me. _

I _had _given up, resigning myself to a life where pain was my constant companion, and I wouldn't have blamed Bella for rejecting my sorry ass and moving on. In a way, I had been dreading the day she returned.

Her enthusiasm at seeing me for the first time in eight months soon turned to anger when she found out I hadn't been exactly forthcoming about my recovery. Once she realized the extent of what I'd been hiding, our reunion turned into an almighty argument.

"Why didn't you tell me? I was expecting to dance with my husband at our wedding!"

"I didn't want you worrying about me while you were going through that hell over there."

She growled at me and stared. "Your leg was so strong when you were injured. Have you been doing your physical therapy?"

I glared at the inference, but I _should _have been better. Each examination showed normal operation with no physical reason for the pain I was having, but I accepted my condition after reading reports of so many others who returned from combat with similar problems.

However, my fiancée would have none of it. She picked up the phone and called my father, and then I had two of them questioning the Army's conclusion.

Dad never believed I was suffering from PTSD, even though I told him I knew I'd been affected while deployed, and Bella's arrival at Bagram had brought me back from the brink. I _did _have the symptoms: nightmares, insomnia, anger, and not being able to function without drugs. According to my doctors, it was common to have some depression and drug dependency for a while, and they'd eased me into a desk job without a whole lot of responsibility while I tried to heal.

My father had already consulted with every orthopedic surgeon in New York when one called him back to ask the brand of knee they'd used on me. Once we found out the scale of what had occurred, he arranged everything, and I was soon undergoing surgery to correct the problem.

As the pain began to subside, I was so grateful I had the two of them in my life. My mother was amazing, too, looking after me when they posted Bella to Fort Sam Houston. While training new officers for the role she'd been performing when deployed, she made sure every one of them knew what to expect from war. She flew back to New York constantly, checking on me, loving me, helping to wean me off the painkillers.

I was drug free on a sunny June afternoon when we emerged from the Holy Trinity Chapel and ducked under the Arch of Sabers after marrying at the place we met nearly a decade before. And we _did _dance. I only stumbled once and knew I was finally on the mend.

"_If I counted the four years at West Point, I'd given a third of my life to the Army, and my husband was now my priority."_

"_So you found a new career?" Nicole's question brought me back to their conversation._

_Bella nodded. "Yes, it was the first time I'd worked as a civilian, and I took a job as a paramedic, seeing it as the kind of work I was trained for."_

"_And that didn't work out?" Nicole asked._

"_I only did it for six months, and I consider it was a brief education into the real world. The thing that struck me was the number of people we transferred to hospital with health crises that could have been averted if they'd just had a yearly checkup. I was seeing the consequences of poverty and ignorance firsthand, and I kept thinking about incentives for regularly seeing a doctor. I still believe it's an idea we should pursue because it's a whole lot cheaper to find these things early."_

"_Did you leave because of frustration?"_

_Bella shook her head. "No, someone fired a gun at me. We were attending a man who'd collapsed on his front porch, and my EMT and I were trying to assess him when another man approached us, screaming for us to get away. He thought we were police trying to arrest his neighbor, even though we'd parked our ambulance in the driveway. All of a sudden, he pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot us, and we backed away from the patient, but he fired anyway. Neither of us took a bullet, and the EMT soon had him under control, but I was three months pregnant at the time, and I wasn't risking the life of my baby. I quit on the spot."_

"_Oh, my goodness. That must have shaken you up after what happened to Edward."_

"_After I calmed down, I was angry. They never prepared us for the danger, and it's only now that EMS agencies are supplying body armor for their teams in the field. With all the guns in this country, it should already be mandatory."_

_Nicole just shook her head._

"_Edward freaked out even more than I did. He was ready to move on with his career, so I wasn't surprised when he came home and announced we were transferring to Schofield Barracks, Oahu."_

_Nicole grinned. "Oh, I love Hawaii." _

"_So do I, and the on-post housing was brand new. I wasn't working, but there was plenty to do if you wanted to get involved. It was the happiest time of my life."_

_Recalling our first wedding anniversary brought back wonderful memories. _

I left work early with a chorus of good wishes, dying to see Bella's reaction to my surprise, and I came home to find her arranging the dozen roses I'd had delivered.

She dropped a flower in her vase and came over to kiss me. "Thank you, Edward. They're divine."

"And so are you." I took in her bare shoulders and the soft fabric of the sarong she was wearing. "Is this new?"

"Yep," she answered with a smirk. "I went to the exchange today, and the woman showed me how to tie them. I think I'll be living in these when I get huge."

The thought of her big with our child made me smile. "Happy anniversary, Bella."

She picked up a present from the counter and gave it to me. "Happy anniversary, handsome."

Ray Ban Aviators. She'd bought them without knowing how perfect they were for the trip we were about to take. I put them on and she raised a single eyebrow as her eyes traveled over my face. "Oh, yeah." Cradling the back of my neck, she pressed her swollen tits against my chest while her tongue slowly seduced me. I hugged her close and explored, discovering she was naked under the sarong. Breaking the kiss, her fingers traced the stubble on my jaw. "How about I finish up putting the roses in water and you close the blinds." The look that accompanied the request made the surprise go right out of my head.

A couple of hours later, we were seated at Jameson's in Haleiwa for our anniversary dinner, and the envelope containing our plane tickets and hotel booking was burning a hole in my pocket. "Did you think the roses were my anniversary gift?" I asked.

Taking my hand across the table, she replied, "Red roses from you will always be the perfect gift, my love."

"There _is _something else." I pulled out the envelope and handed it to her. With an expression full of wonder, she covered her mouth with her hand.

"We're going to Paris ... tomorrow?" She came around and sat in my lap, reading our itinerary.

"I promised you a real honeymoon and never delivered."

Not caring we were in a restaurant, she peppered me with kisses, laughing and saying over and over how much she loved me.

Yeah, they were the happiest of times.

"_Were your children born in Hawaii?" The question from Nicole made Bella snort as she nodded her head. "Is there a story?"_

_"Yes, there is." Bella composed herself enough to go on, and I was already grinning. "Doctor Hale delivered both of my babies and the two experiences were completely different. Rose was an OBGYN at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu and came highly recommended by the new mothers on the base. I liked her method of slowing down labor with massage and calming techniques, and I told her how much I respected her commitment, that what she'd achieved was my ambition when I was seventeen._

"_She gave it to me straight, saying she'd had to sacrifice everything to get this far, never finding a man who could put up with the hours she worked. I admired her and felt sorry for her at the same time._

_"Liam's birth was normal, so we weren't expecting Emily to arrive during dinner at our house with Doctor Hale in attendance. We were trying to set Rose up with another good friend of ours who'd just come back from years of deployment. I wasn't due yet, so I was trying to ignore the annoying cramps that had started and stopped during the final weeks of my first pregnancy._

_"My waters broke in the kitchen while I was topping a cheesecake with mango, and the queen of calm took over, examining me in the bedroom, then directing Emmett to take Liam, and for Edward to call an ambulance and bring towels._

_"I'll never forget how priceless my big strong husband looked, paralyzed with fear in the doorway, and Rose having to mobilize him. 'Those towels are for us, soldier, not the kitchen floor. This baby is about to be born.' Then she looked at me and glared. 'And you stop giggling. You'll push when I tell you and not a moment before.'"_

_Nicole sat there mesmerized, waiting with her mouth slightly open. _

_"Emily was born within half an hour, and if Rose hadn't been there, we would have driven to Honolulu, and I would have had the baby in the car."_

_Bella's laugh made me chuckle to myself, but Nicole's eyes were wide. "Was she okay? You said you weren't due yet?"_

"_Oh, yeah, she was eight pounds of perfect."_

_Holding her hand over her heart, Nicole patted her chest a few times. "Thank goodness." Then she shook her head. "So, what happened to the couple you were trying to set up?"_

_Bella smiled. "It took a while, but they eventually realized they _were _perfect for each other. Rose and Emmett have been together for ten years now."_

_Nicole announced they'd be back with more from Senator Cullen after the break, and we looked at each other, smiling and relieved it had gone so well. Liam stood and stretched in front of his sister. "Eight pounds of perfect? Pity you turned into a chubby little brat."_

"_Liam!" Renee warned him._

_Emily grabbed his wrist, protecting herself since he took great joy in physically annoying her. "It's okay, Nana. He's just jealous because he's only normal and I'm famous."_

_Yanking his wrist from her grip, he narrowed his eyes. "I'd much rather be normal, than famously fat."_

"_Both of you stop it," I said, trying not to lose my patience. "Can we watch this in peace?"_

"_See ya." Liam took a few steps and then couldn't help himself. He just had to turn around and poke his sister in the stomach. "Fat."_

"_Out!" I bellowed, hoping he wouldn't come back. I loved my son, but this stage he was going through would be the death of me._

"_Ahh," Emily sighed loudly, taking the spot on the couch Liam had vacated, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. "Daddy."_

_I knew she was playing me, basking in the glory of him coming off second best. They were so competitive these days it was tiring, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see my father-in-law staring and shaking his head._

"_Quiet now," Renee urged as the music announced the interview was resuming._

"_Where did you go after Hawaii?" Nicole asked._

"_Edward made Major, and they sent us to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It's a massive base with 50,000 personnel and a big spouse association serving the community. I was lucky to get Liam into daycare so I could do something to help, and I joined the team that regularly visited injured vets on the outskirts of Fayetteville. We took lunch, trying to bring a little conversation into their lives, and that was where I learned about isolation. Some of them hardly ever spoke, and it took multiple visits to break down their barriers, but many had been on a helicopter with someone like me, and were kind enough to share the feeling of relief when we evacuated them and empathize with my decision to leave active service. Seeing Emily became the highlight of their week, but in many ways, I got more out of those visits that they did."_

"_Another perspective," Nicole acknowledged._

"_Yes, and when they all started complaining about their local VA clinic closing, I called to find out why. The man I spoke to said he was truly sorry, but the building was in need of refurbishment, and the VA couldn't justify the expense. All patients were welcome to attend the other VA Medical Center in town from now on. _

"_Furious, I called the Medical Center to make an appointment, and the first date available was in two weeks. I pleaded with the woman, telling her my husband couldn't wait that long, and she suggested I try another civilian practice or an ambulance. Although she worked for the VA, she seemed to have no idea how these people survived on the vet pension. It was difficult enough for them to see a doctor they knew, and I was worried the added cost of transport meant they'd just ration their visits._

"_Desperate and fired up, I walked into the Fayetteville Observer and poured my heart out over what I saw as negligence. The reporter wrote everything down and told me he would be in contact, but when I went home, an official car arrived to take me to the base. Edward was there to meet me, taking Emily and ushering me in to meet with the Commanding General of Fort Bragg, who calmly asked if it was my intention to pit Fort Bragg against the VA with my newspaper article."_

_Nicole looked concerned. "I'm guessing this was serious?"_

"_You bet it was, and I promised I never mentioned the military, but he asked if I thought it was difficult for a reporter to find out I was a veteran, or the wife of a Major at the base, and I realized I'd acted without thinking. He wanted to know why I assumed I'd lost the battle when I'd only just discovered there was a fight, and when he questioned what I was actually trying to achieve, I had to push through my fear and organize my thoughts._

"_What I really wanted was to get them out of their homes and bring them together to share what they had in common, because I found their silence was masking their intelligence. I felt they would benefit more from a regular clinic day where they could socialize as well, rather than coming in as individuals to their appointments. We only visited them once a week, anyway, so we could bring food and make the clinic days into something they looked forward to."_

"_What was his response?" Nicole asked._

"_He introduced me to Lieutenant Colonel Marcus Volturi, a military attorney who knew how to work the system. He found a similar case, a civil rights issue where the VA had lost, and they agreed to provide transport for the vets without us having to go to court. Working with Marcus was amazing, life-changing, and the clinic days turned into a community where vets came in for medical attention, a free meal, or just to talk and be heard. When I found out one of the men was about to start working, I went to the base to congratulate Marcus on the outcome of his hard work, and he said I could make a real difference by studying law._

"_While the idea of doing more than just volunteering sounded exciting, getting a law degree with two kids under four was impossible, but Marcus told me I could do a clerkship under a supervising attorney or judge as a way to complete the curriculum without attending college. I'd have to work for free—eighteen hours a week for three years—and complete the study to pass the exams, but I'd come out with a legal degree, a lot of practical experience, and no student loans."_

"_So, Marcus supervised you?" Nicole smiled, jumping to the obvious conclusion._

"_The first thing I did was ask him, but clerkships were not approved in North Carolina. However..."_

"_Yes?"_

"_He'd already contacted his sister-in-law, who had a civilian practice, a hundred and forty miles away in Virginia where clerkships _were _approved."_

"_That's a big commute."_

"_I know, and Marcus said Jane could only give me two days a week, which meant I'd be gone for fifteen hours a day, so I didn't even mention it to Edward when I was already racked with guilt for considering it."_

_Nicole sat back and crossed her arms. "But you're the Senator for Virginia. Isn't this where the connection begins?"_

_My wife grinned. "Yes. Marcus had spoken to Edward before he planted the idea in my head, and my husband and parents are the most incredible people in the world." I looked over as I felt Renee squeeze my hand. "Mom moved in for two days every week, and I stayed overnight in Danville, giving me five extra hours of study I would have otherwise spent on the road."_

_There was the sound of grumbling from the recliner to our left, and I asked, "What was that, sir?"_

"_Renee enjoyed every minute of it."_

"_Yes, I did, Charles Swan. It was like the old days when I had a baby and lived on the base, only the man around the house miraculously found time to help me."_

_When a grunt was his only response, all eyes returned to the television._

**_Thanks for reading xo_**


	6. Chapter 6

**_Another chapter - finally - and another will follow quickly. Unfortunately, real life is ... real life, and it relentlessly takes priority. I'd love to do nothing more than spend my days writing, but I can't. _**

**_I do know the girls who help me have endless patience - VampyreGirl86, Ipsita and SarcasticBimbo - and I love them for it. _**

**_Thank you for reading and reviewing. Your support means everything._**

* * *

_**Chapter 6**_

_The interview resumed with coffee cups on the table, and Nicole and Bella laughing. It felt like we'd tuned in on a private conversation. _

"_How did you decide to run for public office?" Nicole asked._

"_I made a deal with an unemployed coal miner."_

_Nicole snorted. "Coal miner?"_

"_Yeah, I was working at the DHHS when there was a push to find out why health care costs in some parts of the state were higher than others, and they sent me to a town in southwest Virginia to investigate the impact of the closure of their coal mine. We were expecting to find depression and local doctors over servicing their patients, and a meeting was set up with a group of the townsfolk to discuss their health issues. _

"_What I didn't know was they'd been told I was a government representative coming to announce the plan for the mine's re-opening, and when they found out they were mistaken, they turned hostile, accusing their country of abandoning them. I was just as angry I'd been dropped in the situation, explaining that this was a local issue, and they scoffed at me, saying their council members were ineffective. I listened and let them release their frustrations, hearing a common sense of betrayal that had locked them in a time when they went home from work and knew they'd never return. It was a complex issue, one I was not qualified to handle, so I asked them to tell me why they remained when things seemed so bleak, and they bounced off each other, gradually coming up with a list of reasons why their unique part of America was worth saving. _

"_A leader emerged, and I told Seth he should run for a position on the local council. As I listened to his excuses, I heard my own, and I shared the concerns and ideas I had for my own community. He laid down the gauntlet, telling me he'd run if I did, and we kept in touch, inspiring each other to continue, so a coal miner gave me the incentive and courage to run for office." _

"_Did Seth run?" Nicole was leaning forward, eager for an answer._

"_He's still on that council, working to rebuild the town."_

"_I have to say, I would have been frightened when things turned ugly."_

"_It _was _scary—perfect training for Congress, actually."_

_Nicole laughed. "Can we quickly talk politics?"_

"_Sure." Bella smiled, looking relaxed and engaged. _

"_I've heard rumors you've been approached by both parties to join their campaigns."_

"_We're not joining another team. Ben and I are sticking with Team United States."_

_Nicole nodded. "Shall we get straight to policy, then? What is your top priority?"_

"_The health of our planet has to be our main focus, and I feel it should drive our policies in general. I'm very encouraged by the changes already happening, and I look on this challenge as a fantastic opportunity. Our public infrastructure system desperately needs updating, and now we can proceed with those projects armed with new knowledge. Can we find new methods of wireless technology? Can we construct all our roads and buildings from recycled products? What about street signs and bridges and rail lines? Can we power it all with renewable energy?"_

_With a chuckle, Nicole declared, "Senator, I believe you are going to propose that we can."_

_Bella smiled, but didn't laugh. She found the lack of urgency regarding climate change anything but amusing. Bella might be a lawyer now, but she came out of West Point with a science degree, and even back then, they were discussing the impacts of global warming, so this was a big source of frustration. _

"_I'm saying we must, Nicole. This is the new world, with new ideas and the prospects of new industries emerging. We should all feel excited to be part of this time."_

_There was a moment that passed between the two women when Nicole must have understood Bella was sugarcoating the topic, but didn't challenge her. I wondered if she'd seen the data on farmers already planting early, the low nutrient content caused by accelerated growth, the potential impact of simultaneous crop failures on livestock feed and the global food supply in general, and the declining population of bees. For whatever reason, Nicole's pause gave the moment the gravity it deserved._

"_Do you support medicare for all?"_

_Bella shook her head, convincingly. "No."_

"_Straight out no?" she asked, waving a hand in the air._

"_I've looked at health care systems around the globe, and I don't believe we need to dismantle what we currently have when the main issue is affordability. Some people want a tax to cover free health care, others want the option to retain their private insurance, and I understand the preference for a particular surgeon and a private hospital. Medicare for all will not solve the underlying problem of cost. We can argue about this forever, but it's clear to me that the enormous profits from the pharmaceutical and insurance industries have to come back into the system. Until then, we'll never understand why we spend more on health care than the rest of the world. _

"_Everyone can be covered immediately under a public system with an income tax of around three percent, but once income reaches a higher bracket—say $100,000—they'll pay a further two percent if they _don't _have private insurance. At the same time, I would like to discourage employers from offering health cover as an incentive. That scheme came out of world war two, and many part-time employees are ineligible. Our workforce has changed radically since those days, and families want to shop around for a deal that suits their circumstances, regardless of where they work." _

"_What about low income earners?"_

"_If you don't pay income tax, then health care is free."_

"_Free?"_

"_Well … if I'm elected, there will be one stipulation I touched on earlier in the interview."_

"_And that is?" Nicole asked._

"_That every adult has a yearly health check, a fasting blood test and blood pressure reading, bi-yearly screens for skin, breast, and bowel cancer. Catching these conditions early makes an enormous difference in the cost of treatment, and gives us a system that takes care of the health of the nation."_

"_It sounds sensible, but—"_

_"No buts, Nicole. Everyone should visit their doctor once a year."_

_"Okay, I won't argue with that," Nicole stated. "I wish we had more time, but we're going to have to leave it there. Will you please come back and talk to me again?"_

"_Of course I will. Thanks for having me."_

_As the music signaled the end of the interview, the two women were shaking hands when Renee stood. "Well, she's your daughter, Charlie."_

"_Do you mean her idealism or her humanity?" he asked, winking at me._

_Renee rolled her eyes. "I was actually thinking she's opinionated and brave, and whether this country is ready for her kind of leadership."_

_Charlie eyeballed me, and I knew he wouldn't say what was in his heart when he was always careful with his opinions around the kids. Even though Emily had fallen asleep and was now curled up on the couch, the retired Major General would never let his granddaughter hear him criticize the current Commander in Chief. He merely scratched the mustache he'd worn for over fifty years, and I noticed it was now almost completely gray. _

* * *

_As the debates played out on the television, a slew of Democratic candidates and three Republicans fought for their party's nomination, and James spared no time pointing out every mistake his two opponents had ever made. We watched as politicians dropped out of the race, and Bella had to find a way to promote her own message to a bigger audience. In town halls across America, she unveiled her plans for the country's health and education systems, her commitment to end poverty and inequality, to reverse climate change and upgrade our public infrastructure systems. She addressed the importance of transparency, the revenue being lost to corruption, and her ambition to overhaul a tax system defeated by loopholes. _

_At the end of every one of these events, she stayed to meet people, listening to their words of approval or criticism, asking for volunteers to help with nomination petitions. She had to collect an almost insurmountable number of signatures to have her name listed on each state's general election ballot, and she had to do it without the might of a political party behind her. _

_Although she would never admit it, my wife was exhausted, and the only thing keeping her going was an upcoming wedding in Puerto Rico. _

_When Hurricane Maria devastated the island, members of Congress visited to speak to officials and assess the damage, and Bella was distressed by what she saw. Visiting a school, still intact and operating without power, she met Carmen, a teacher providing a home for students who'd lost their homes, or whose family members were missing. Carmen pleaded with Bella to denounce the public death count when there were so many people still unaccounted for, and she took Bella around to witness the raw impact of the storm._

_This young woman impressed Bella enough to go back to Washington with fire in her belly, using Carmen's letters and photos to highlight the urgent need for reconstruction. All of Carmen's family had left to make new lives in Florida, tearing Carmen's heart in two, but she would not abandon her students, nor her fiancé, who was one of many local carpenters working from sunrise to sunset. _

_Bella gave a powerful speech to Congress, condemning James and his cronies for delaying approved relief funding when Americans were still living without roofing or power. She said it was despicable to use the state of the Puerto Rican government as an excuse, and asserted that a President could not overrule a Congressional decision on where money was spent. _

_Puerto Rico got their money, but it was too little and too late to stop 130,000 people fleeing the island—many for good._

_Bella and Carmen formed a lasting friendship, and Bella was thrilled when Carmen called to invite us to her wedding. They would say their vows in the parish church, followed by a small gathering at a local restaurant. It wasn't the wedding she'd always envisioned, but she was going to spend what money she'd saved flying her closest relatives back home. _

"_I want to give Carmen some money towards the wedding." I wasn't surprised in the slightest by the announcement, and suggested we could stay on for a week. Congress would be in recess during August, and the kids would still be on summer vacation. We could all do with a break. _

_For a moment, her face lit up, but then she sighed. "We've set aside time during that week for campaign planning, so we can only really spare the weekend."_

_Mulling over her answer, I came up with an idea to reward the campaign team who had gone above and beyond for Bella. They were like family, and it would be money well spent._

_When I showed her a wedding reception property I found with massive lawns, an enormous pool, and barbeques housed under the shade of cabanas, her expression told me I was on a winner. The fact that it had good accommodations for us to stay there sold her. Bella convinced Carmen to accept her offer, and my plan expanded to include the others._

_The property could take another sixteen guests, so I gave Randall, her campaign manager, the job of deciding who would join us in Puerto Rico, and I told him I'd kill him if anyone leaked it to Bella._

_Carmen's "small gathering" turned into a reunion for 200 people, many offering whole pigs, seafood dishes and vegetables I'd never heard of before, and I liked the idea of a community celebration growing from the joining of two individuals. It was going to be very different from our own wedding, but the bride was over the moon. _

* * *

_With the smell of spit-roasting pig in the air, we left for the ceremony where the priest began by welcoming those of his flock who had come back to Puerto Rico. He recounted his prayers when he thought the church might not withstand the force of the hurricane, and the moment he accepted God's will had protected his house for joyous days like today and the sacrament of marriage. It was a long and emotional service, bound up in tragedy, loss, and hope for the future, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. _

_Someone said there were 300 people at the wedding reception. They arrived with fold-up chairs and coolers full of food and drinks. A live band played with many different singers taking their turn on the microphone, and people danced from one group to another, hugging and squealing. Carmen and Stefan were everywhere, radiating happiness, while children swam in the pool and played on swings until the food was ready. _

"_You _can _come back for seconds, son," I said to Liam, who was holding a plate piled so high I wondered how he was going to attempt to eat it. _

_Moaning as he bit into a piece of crunchy pig skin, he handed me one and grinned. "Oh, I'll be back."_

_After that, I may have overindulged a little myself._

_Liam and Emily both played in the game of soccer where guests became enthusiastic spectators. I turned down my invitation, using my knee as an excuse, but I was content to relax with my wife on the sidelines, sampling some fine homemade coconut pitorro. _

"_I wish we didn't have to go back tomorrow." Bella kissed my cheek and wrapped an arm across my shoulders._

"_I know." I leaned against her, dying to tell her we'd have company tomorrow, but we agreed not to say anything in advance, knowing she'd become distracted with plans for the meetings. She complied when I asked her to switch off and not call anyone while we were here, and now I was sure she would enjoy the surprise. My mind drifted to other times we'd surprised each other like this: her seducing me in her apartment at Central Park and holding me as a willing captive for days; and our romantic honeymoon in Paris. _

"_Like to join me in the pool when they all leave tonight?"_

_She brightened considerably, raising an eyebrow. "You're on, mister."_

_After they cut the cake and performed the wedding toasts, Carmen took the microphone with tears in her eyes and thanked everyone for coming and bringing her dream wedding to life. She raved about the incredible food we'd eaten and broke down when she spoke of having her family here for her wedding. When she composed herself, she looked at Bella, and said none of this would have been possible without her generosity. As the cheers died down, Carmen said she was honored to have a US Senator at her wedding, asking if everyone knew it was Senator Cullen who fought for the relief money Puerto Rico received, and I felt Bella squeeze my hand as muttering voices declared she was no longer flying under the radar as a friend of the bride._

"_We cannot vote for our next President, but we _can _vote for our next presidential nominee, and I ask you all to support this woman who has proven she cares deeply for the people of Puerto Rico. We need someone like her in the White House, so I would like to propose a toast to the next President of the United States, Isabella Cullen."_

_Bella blushed as the guests raised their glasses in the air, but she was gracious in stepping up to speak when Carmen invited her. _

"_I am not here in any official capacity, so today, I'm just Bella. It's my honor to join in this celebration because I know this young woman's intelligence and capacity for putting the needs of others above her own. She is everything I would want in a young politician, so in front of you all; I challenge her to seek her own election. Maybe one day she'll come to Washington as the first US Senator from Puerto Rico."_

_The crowd cheered loudly as the two women hugged, and I loved that my wife had just turned the attention back on Carmen without uttering a word about herself. It was obviously Carmen's intention to throw her support behind Bella publicly, but this was Carmen's day, and we were on vacation. In my opinion, Bella's response was perfect._

_Unfortunately, the rest of the day was no longer the relaxing one we'd been enjoying, with people wanting to constantly talk politics with Bella._

"_I'm going to murder you," she threatened Carmen as they were leaving the reception, but Carmen laughed, drawing her into a hug, and they were both teary when they released each other._

"_You're going to win, Bella. God answers my prayers, so I'm certain."_

_Bella smiled and told her to go enjoy her honeymoon. When we waved them off, we joined an army of people packing up chairs and collecting trash, then left Carmen and Stefan's family to say goodbye to their guests while we dealt with the group of teenagers still in the pool. They weren't misbehaving, but it was time they got out, and Liam was circling a girl he'd been shadowing all evening._

"_Please … promise it's not starting at thirteen, Bella?" I pleaded, not ready to deal with this yet._

"_He looks like his father. What can I tell you?"_

_I smacked her ass and she giggled as she walked away, but I stayed to make sure these children disbanded and returned to their families._

_It was nearly midnight when we farewelled the last of the family after hugs and kisses and too many thanks._

"_Are you tired?" I asked, remembering we had a date._

_She answered with a searing kiss. "We can sleep on the plane tomorrow. Come with me." _

_Pulling me into one of the cabanas, she kissed me passionately and started on the buttons of my shirt. The light from the pool cast a sexy glow over everything, and I would have loved nothing better than to fuck her out here, but one of us had to be sensible._

"_We need bathing suits," I suggested, halfheartedly._

"_Why bother?" she asked as if I was letting her down. "I thought you wanted to skinny dip."_

"_Oh, I'd love to, but we don't know who's out there with a camera."_

_She stared at me for a few seconds, and then sighed. "Okay … but can we at least swim?"_

_The question yanked at my heart, because this was our life now, measuring every public word and action to protect ourselves from the enemy. I smoothed her hair and pulled her to me. "Only if I get another kiss first."_

_Her eyes roamed over my face. "You _do _know I'm still crazy about you?" she asked as if she didn't show me every day, and then the sensation of her soft lips and fingers tugging at my hair made it an effort to break away._

"_Swim."_

"_Yes, sir," she answered with a pout._

_We crept inside as quietly as possible, changing into our swimsuits and locking the house up tight before returning to the pool. I threw my towel on a lounge and dived in, loving the feel of the warm water. When I hit the surface, Bella was descending the steps, like a goddess glowing in the shimmering light, and I couldn't resist her. Wrapping her arms and legs around me, she let me glide her around and rested her head on my shoulder, giving in to total relaxation. _

"_I wish you'd forced me to stay for a few more days. This is too good to leave so soon."_

_The perfect moment had arrived for me to share the secret. "Would you really like to stay?" _

_She lifted her head. "Could we?"_

"_What if I told you the others were arriving tomorrow with their families so you can hold your campaign meetings here?"_

_The tilt of her head showed me she couldn't tell if I was joking. My raised eyebrows and nod gave her the answer._

_Then her eyes grew wide. "Whose idea was this?"_

"_Mine," I answered, confidently. If there was a problem, we needed to address it before tomorrow._

"_You haven't used campaign funds, have you?"_

"_I'm not stupid, woman. You and I are picking up the tab for the accommodations and the principals' flights. The members of the team are paying for their family's airfares."_

_She looked around as if she was seeing this place for the first time. "How many?"_

"_Sixteen are coming."_

_Her hand covered her mouth as the idea settled in, then she slid her fingers into my hair and touched her forehead to mine. "I should have thought of this myself."_

_I spun us around in the water slowly. "You're not worried about the money?"_

"_Not at all. They've earned a vacation and so have their families for the amount of time they've given me."_

"_That's what I thought."_

"_How long are we staying?"_

"_Another week. We fly home next Sunday."_

_Throwing her head back, she smiled and stared at the sky, and for that minute, she was the girl who shared my life in Hawaii, when she had freedom, before she gave it up again to serve her country in a different way. Then she stared at me with so much love in her eyes, and kissed me so tenderly, I knew I'd made her truly happy._

* * *

_After two days together, our group fell into a routine. We did our own thing at breakfast, and the meetings started at ten. Some of us slept in, while others were up at dawn swimming laps or running on the beach. I kept out of the campaign talk, joining the other partners to investigate the island and give the kids some fun. Since the other two children were much younger, we gravitated to Randall's wife and her twin fourteen-year-old girls. _

_Emily idolized them, but Liam was unusually quiet and reserved. I took him for a long walk where we talked man-to-man—not about the birds and the bees, but about accepting it was completely normal to feel unsure around girls he found attractive. I told him that females were different, drawn to boys who were friendly and kind, and confident enough to be themselves without revealing their physical urges. It seemed to be going well until I said I waited a whole year to kiss his mother, and he looked like he was going to puke._

_We visited a bakery on the way back and the twins both smiled when he offered everyone a pastry without me telling him to, so maybe some of what I said did sink into his thirteen-year-old skull. He was definitely more engaging after our talk, and the four of them got along well, playing in the pale blue ocean, learning to snorkel, hiking and screaming under the waterfalls of the El Yunque National Forest. _

_For dinner, we usually took over one of the restaurants on the beach and then came back to swim or drink around the pool. There was only one rule—no campaign talk outside of the meetings—so we really did get to know each other on a personal level. Bella told me the meetings had been productive without distractions, and she was encouraging them to offer ideas. They were all aware they had a long fight ahead of them, just to win a nomination. _

_On day four, we went as a group on a bus to the Toro Verde Adventure Park, and Emily and I were first to conquer the "Monster," the longest zipline in the Americas. The whole day was exhilarating, and the only time I sat out was when I wasn't sure my knee would stand up on the "Toro Roller" with its obstacles and climbing towers between zips. Bella took part in everything, rejuvenated by the trip._

_Many of us were dozing when we came into San Juan. Ben received a text asking if he would comment on the press conference, and one by one, we played the footage of James attacking Bella. _

"_This is what happens when we allow a woman to run for the highest office in the land without the guidance of a political party. Lawless Senator Cullen is campaigning in Puerto Rico this week, spending your hard-earned donations on a vacation for her family and her campaign team."_

_There were videos from the wedding, showing a snippet of Carmen's speech, as well as us mingling with guests, having dinner in San Juan, me with the kids at the beach, even Bella and I kissing in the pool before the team arrived. I watched her stare at Ben, and then look out the window of the bus. _

_Taking her hand, I was reassured that the team was here to advise her, but there were a dozen reporters waiting when we arrived at the complex. Randall got out of the bus to unlock the gate, having told the driver to take us all the way in. Another two of our team joined him to make sure none of these people came through._

"_We have children with us, so please respect their privacy." _

_It was his only response as he closed and locked the gates, but I could feel the anger rolling off him when he returned to his seat. Trying to keep things as normal as possible, we went to our house where I told the kids to shower and get ready for dinner. Liam dived into their bathroom first, while Emily pulled clothes from her drawers, asking why people were here taking photos. I thought about telling her just to ignore them, but this was going to be a part of her life, and she was old enough to understand. _

"_Someone told a lie about your mother on television, and the photographers are here to get her response. It's their job to take a photo and record what she says for the newspapers."_

"_Telling a lie on television is stupid. Won't everyone find out what they did?" Yes, my daughter _was _old enough to understand. Her young mind led her straight to an important question, probably one of many being thrashed out in the meeting room right now. "Poor Mom."_

_I put an arm around her. "Don't worry about your mom. People say things about her all the time, and not all of them are true. She can handle it."_

"_Will Mom go on television, and say it was a lie?"_

"_Yes," Bella announced as she walked in and kissed Emily's head, fixing me with a stare. "And there's food being delivered."_

"_Food? What food?" Liam's head emerged from the bathroom. "What are we getting?"_

"_They've ordered from Cafe Mia. Does that meet with your approval?" Bella asked with a smile._

"_Sí, Mamá." Liam came out and danced in his towel, singing with a perfect Puerto Rican accent. "Alcapurrias, Mofongo, Tostones, fries with chorizo."_

_Bella took hold of his shoulders and marched him back to the bathroom. "Hurry up. Your sister is waiting, and don't forget to brush your teeth and use deodorant. I need to take a shower, Edward."_

_Following her into our bedroom, I asked where and when it would happen._

"_Tonight … outside where they're still camped. We've decided the gates of this property will serve as a more suitable backdrop than the luxurious curtains of the Intercontinental. We want to show a barrier between them and our private space, the line they can't cross."_

"_Who is going out there with you? Do you want me to come?"_

"_Ben, Randall and Garrett will be with me, and I'd be happy for you to join us, but I will be the only one to speak to the reporters. If anyone asks, this trip has been paid for by us, not you."_

_I understood the detail could be misconstrued under scrutiny. "How will you reply?"_

"_They're writing my words as we speak, but we've agreed to give him a way out by suggesting he's been given incorrect information. We have the truth on our side, Edward, and if he is stupid enough to call me a liar, the fact checkers will climb over themselves to fill their television segments."_

"_So no one's worried … talking about going back early?" I had to ask, because I wondered if this would mean an end to the vacation._

"_No one has mentioned leaving. We'll set the record straight, and move on. In forty-eight hours, no one will care."_

_The food arrived without incident, giving them a chance to tell the reporters there would be a press conference in half an hour._

_Bella addressed a group that had doubled in size since they announced she would speak, and there were even reporters from Washington. "I feel sorry for the person who misinformed the Acting President, and for those on his team who allowed such baseless accusations to go public without checking their facts. For the record, I came to Puerto Rico with my family to celebrate the wedding of a friend, and we extended the vacation so my campaign team could join us in this beautiful place. I have spent no time campaigning, and Edward and I financed this from our own money as a thank you for hard work, so it's pathetic to accuse us of any wrongdoing. The Acting President owes me an apology."_

_Carmen called later that night, saying she'd been stunned to see video from her wedding on the evening news. She felt completely responsible, apologizing over drawing attention to Bella, and for a speech that sounded like the opening of a political rally. Bella assured her that she was used to James attacking her, and next week he'd be after someone else. She asked Carmen to put it out of her mind and focus on her honeymoon, and begrudgingly, Carmen said she would try, but she could not guarantee how her family would react if a reporter came to their door. All Bella could do was repeat that none of us had done anything wrong. _

_Maybe it was a slow week in Puerto Rico, but the local press pounced on the story, trying to understand the connection between the Senator for Virginia and this young schoolteacher from San Juan. Reporters tracked down Carmen's friends and family still here and over in Florida, and we returned home from our vacation to find Bella's fight against the Acting President over the funding for the people of Puerto Rico had become a lead story in the news._

_James never responded to Bella's request for an apology, and he could not have known what his attack had unleashed. The campaign received more small donations than when Bella first announced she was running. Our office in Virginia was suddenly accepting thousands of signed ballot nomination forms every week, and many had addresses in Florida. It was as if the Puerto Ricans were rallying behind her and spreading the word through their communities, and this gave Bella new confidence to plan to go to Florida and get the rest of the 150,000 signatures she needed._

_Then something happened to give fuel to the growing storm of interest and support. Photos of President Masen wearing a "Team United States" cap in the garden at Camp David blew up the internet and had every political commentator in the country questioning how and why the printed images surfaced at the Washington Post._

_The press was determined to get Bella's comment on camera, asking if the President's lack of response showed a growing divide between him and James, and she simply answered, "I have no idea. I sent President Masen a cap months ago when I heard he collects them, but it's just a cap. Maybe it was handy when he was going outside in the sun."_

_She had texted him recently, and remarked on the improvement in his typing skills, but Bella had become emotional following their last attempt at a phone call when I asked if he would ever return to office. He still struggled to speak even a couple of words._

_Knowing not to ask for more than she volunteered, I was happy in the knowledge that someone or something had put my wife in a very good mood. It was easier not to question the smile that crept onto her face or the fact she wanted sex every night she was home lately. I knew my place, and it was in her arms, not in her ear._

**_Thanks for reading xo_**

**_Do you all know about a big compilation coming soon? Search FB for _****_Babies at the Border Fiction Compilation and click on announcements for all the details. A $10 donation is all it takes to receive the compilation. $15 or more gives you a chance to win the published books donated. If you can, then you should support the agencies trying to help these innocent kids._**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Thank you so much to The Lemonade Stand for your support, and I love all of you who read and rec'd and reviewed._**

**_To the girls who have helped me - V_****_ampyreGirl86, Ipsita and SarcasticBimbo - I want to say how much I appreciate you._**

* * *

_**Chapter 7**_

They called our names to join the procession. I'd been enjoying time with my wife as the buzz of voices died down, and even though the cameras were rolling, Bella held onto my hand and pulled me back for a kiss. She was prepared for every part of the upcoming ceremony, but the anticipation was making her nervous, so I asked her to compare this to flying a mission above a battle zone. Cradling my cheeks, she kissed me again before I took my place alongside the woman who was about to become the Second Lady.

As I marveled at the marble columns and crystal chandeliers, the sound of heels on stone echoed through the corridors of the Capitol Building. Angela and I were behind Elisabeth Masen and Victoria James, who might have been friends once, but today, they moved forward without a word passing between them.

Elisabeth was obviously popular with the political elite, and I already felt she would have been an influential First Lady had things been different. Her invitation to Camp David came soon after the election, and she urged me to carefully consider my role within the Executive of the East Wing. Bella and I had already agreed I would focus on the VA and initiate programs to improve the plight of our veterans, and Elisabeth Masen was the first person to give us her blessing, saying it was a good choice based on my background and personal experience.

Elisabeth and Victoria were nothing alike, with Victoria's bold clothes and vivid hair colors often compared to Elisabeth's classic elegance. The First Lady's remodel of the White House had shown a deep respect for history, and she was full of all kinds of interesting facts about Camp David and the White House.

People had been asking if the First Gentleman's initial project would be updating the interiors for a new Presidency, but it was laughable when I was a twenty-year military man, more interested in function than how things looked. With the First Lady's help, we hired a team of interior designers who would keep its museum quality intact while enhancing the public and private spaces of a building named by Theodore Roosevelt over a hundred years after George Washington broke ground on the site.

Facing the flights of stairs in front of me, I took hold of the brass railing. This knee still didn't like a long descent. We descended slowly, and waited as the doors closed behind the current First and Second Ladies, then Angela and I stared at each other, aware this was a big step for our country. For the first time in history, the President's partner was male.

As soon as the doors opened, I motioned for Angela to go forward as they announced our names, and nothing could have prepared me for the sea of mankind filling the National Mall, or the stirring sounds of the military band.

I smiled at my family, so pleased to see my sister and her husband next to my parents. Between her career as a pediatrician and three kids under six, we hardly saw them these days, but Alice always found time to call and show her support for Bella, and I loved her for it.

After shaking the hands of men who'd made history, I located my seat by the green coat of my daughter, who squeezed my hand and asked, "It's just a ceremony where she pledges an oath, like before?"

"That's right, and then there's the parade and a big ball tonight."

"I'm so proud she's my mother," she stated confidently.

I leaned my head against hers. "And I'm proud she's my wife."

Sighing, I looked out at the mass of people, and her grip on my hand loosened. This kid, who had the same focus and temperament as her mother, was going to be a force one day. We'd known it for some time, and this experience would give her such an exceptional education, I wondered if any of us could envision what she would become.

My son, standing next to me, was clearly nervous. "How you doing?" I asked, and he expelled a big breath of air. Putting an arm around him, I offered, "Just relax and enjoy it."

President Masen was already seated and welcoming the attention of other past Presidents. As he listened and laughed appropriately, most of his peers would have been unaware it took great courage to come here today when he could hardly speak. Elisabeth Masen told Bella that no one wanted to see the outgoing President of the United States stumble and fall down the stairs, but Bella believed he'd used the excuse to avoid the farce of him arriving with an estranged VP.

They announced James at the top of the stairs, and there were cheers as he waved to the endless crowd amassed to support the new President. Was he reliving the previous inauguration when Masen had beaten Donald Trump, a man whose campaign had almost divided the country? Did he regret turning his back on his President and failing to run the country the way Masen had promised? Was it only on Election Day when he realized he'd been defeated?

James' biggest mistake was never understanding that Bella fought the battle for the Presidency in a military way. She led a covert battalion like an isolated special operations unit where we all covered each other, where the front line was just as important as the strategic planning.

I expected the finality of today's momentous occasion must be driving home how badly he'd underestimated his opponent.

_We all knew Texas was going to be the battlefront when it came to gun laws. In Bella's America, all states had to abide to protect the population, and while the citizens of Texas were reeling from mass shootings, there were half a million registered weapons in the state. With vital legislation stalled in the Senate since February, retail chains were announcing bans on sales of ammunition and certain types of guns, but it wasn't enough when the bulk of weapons were still being sold outside of the reach of regulation. We'd never find out the true gun tally while the NRA held power in Washington, so Bella decided to take on the enemy by doing something no one could have anticipated._

_Before we left Virginia on our road trip through the southern states, we visited Fort A.P. Hill for a little target practice for the cause. Since I had been stationed there previously, we had no problems keeping our mission under wraps._

_The first rally was at the Sun Bowl Football Stadium at the University of Texas in El Paso, and Bella promoted the event as something shocking and not for the squeamish, warning that people under eighteen years would not be admitted. It was a valiant move she knew could backfire, risking her speaking to a handful of those curious or game enough to come and see what it was all about. The aim was not to fill the stadium, but to present something they would take away and think about. She anticipated it would be shared on the internet, causing the discussion she wanted._

_Bella spent the morning at the border, and then with survivors from the shooting at Walmart, vowing to do everything she could to outlaw these terrible weapons. She came back shaken, having to steel herself for the show._

_Roughly 7,000 people had trickled into the Sun Bowl that afternoon, entertained by incredibly talented students from the college. The last act was a junior who played paint cans, upturned buckets, metal pots, and bowls with a speed that entranced me. I could have watched him for hours, but sunset was coming. Only he knew his cue to finish was the sound of quiet gunfire, startling everyone until the huge screen showed another sunset in a different land, the call to Allah identifying it as somewhere in the Middle East._

_People covered their ears when the volume of machine gun fire increased, but it was faint compared to the real thing. A minute later, the sunset on the screen faded away, replaced by the real soldier firing the weapon, and the audience cheered as they recognized the combat uniform of the U.S. Army. Gradually, the camera panned around behind the shooter to reveal a number of gory targets. The human shapes were not human, put together from animal organs._

_A second soldier picked up a weapon and sprayed the target with bullets, then the first shooter took up a more homemade-looking modified weapon. I watched the crowd now looking at each other in confusion, but no one was leaving._

_When the firing stopped, the soldiers removed the magazines from each weapon. They each took off their helmets and glasses, revealing the two candidates appearing here tonight, and the whole stadium whistled and applauded._

_Smoothing her hair, Bella asked the camera, "Wanna come see what we just did?"_

_A resounding "yes" came from the audience._

"_You sure?" she asked._

"_Yes!" Louder this time._

_The camera followed behind them walking fifty yards to the targets._

"_This was a cow's liver, folks," she stated. The camera moved in close, and now there were sounds of discomfort. "Even at this distance, you can see how it's been shredded." They let this sink in and moved to each of the targets, naming the internal organs and the weapon used to destroy them._

"_With a wound from a single bullet, a surgeon can sew the edges together, but here, it's not clear what's left. Make no mistake, an injury like this is always fatal, and it was the reason too many soldiers didn't make it onto my helicopter to go to hospital. Sadly, they ended their deployment in a body bag."_

_As footage of recent mass shootings played in the background, tonight's Bella stepped into the light on stage. "How can anyone argue there's a place for these lethal weapons in our society? Please, I beg you to reach into your hearts to remember the innocents who've already lost their lives and agree we must end the carnage now."_

_The crowd was divided as expected. Some applauded and others were in shock. However, no one booed her, and that was a positive start._

"_Everyone told me that tackling the gun problem in this country was too complicated, too bound up in our fundamental liberty. We assert the right to defend ourselves, but the data shows that less than one percent of gun owners have ever used a firearm in defense. The nation's sporting groups demand their member's rights to hunt and feed their families, now and for future generations, but feeding a family does not warrant using a weapon capable of wiping out an entire herd. Then it becomes a massacre._

"_Our citizens argue they only use their semi-automatic guns to blow off steam at the shooting range, but I say your right to take a military style weapon home with you is not greater than my right to have my children return home safely from school or college._

"_When I'm President, we will sign a bill to ban any weapon with the capability—on its own or through modification—to shoot more than one bullet from the pull of a trigger. Returning these weapons for destruction will easily be done at your local gun dealer. The fines for being caught with one will be significant._

"_For single shot weapons, every gun owner will need a license and a background check into criminal and psychological behavior before they qualify. Then each firearm will require yearly registration, just like our motor vehicles. All guns will now need inspection to make sure they meet safety standards in their upkeep, and owners must declare how they store their weapons safely. Sales at gun shows are still welcome, but the transfer of ownership falls under the same law and must be done through a licensed dealer._

"_Obviously, this scheme will provide ongoing revenue for the states and new jobs right across the country."_

_She was also fearless with her opinions on global warming._

"_I wish I could say we live in a world on the precipice of climate change but it's already happening, and we must do everything we can to catch up and meet the challenge head on._

"_The signs are everywhere, so why would we continue to deny the problem is real? We have to cut back on the gases and heat we are adding to the atmosphere, because this increased heat is not only melting our ice caps and glaciers, raising the levels of our oceans, it's adding energy to our weather systems, making them more powerful and destructive. If you want to argue it's going to cost too much to convert to renewable power, then I want you to consider how much we spend rebuilding after each devastation._

"_At the same time, I want to look at progress in general and how it affects our lives. Electric cars will still choke our cities with traffic, wasting hours every day. Just imagine a world where it's preferable to catch a train or bus because they're fast and clean and reliable, maybe even social, a world where people can enjoy riding a bicycle to work. Money would flow into the government as fares instead of powering private vehicles._

"_However, Americans love their cars, and we're going to reopen American Motors to build the world's biggest car assembly and gasoline-to-electric conversion plants."_

* * *

_Right through the rallies in the south, they used the video for the event. Copies from people's phones were all over the internet, so we uploaded the film to our social media pages, and that's when the comments really took off. The savage reality was now finding a bigger audience._

_Bella always finished a rally with her ideas on reuniting the population, encouraging everyone to stop using labels like minority, black, brown, and white, and start thinking of ourselves as American. We all needed to feel proud of our contribution to society, and to bring back this simple dignity, she asked everyone to take a couple of seconds every day to smile and thank the boy who packed our groceries, the driver as we got off the bus, the men and women who kept us safe in an airport. She urged people to post a review for good service, to tell the manager the server was efficient and friendly, and to thank the nurse for the joke that took our minds off the reason we were in hospital. She asked them to give up their seat for the elderly or infirm and to feel good when someone smiled in approval. It was the little things, the sweet interactions that lifted us up and made us feel part of something good. _

_They might have promoted her rallies as something to fear, but the people who attended left with many different concepts to digest. _

* * *

_Slowly but steadily, Bella's figures climbed in the polls, and no one could argue she had become a real contender for the Presidency. Assuming she would fail in a debate against the winners of the two political parties, James proposed a nonpartisan blanket primary to get rid of her for good. Only two would go through to the Presidential debates, and both parties wanted the opportunity to have their two candidates on the final ballot. Bella jumped at the opportunity, thrilled to be recognized publicly as one of the final five. _

_The differences between the candidates became the central issue, and while Bella had an answer for every question posed to her, she chose to focus on the reasons she left the State Department to run for the Senate. She gave an inspiring speech on the error of believing the United States was better than everywhere else. Bigger and richer was not better when we had the highest GDP in the world but barely made the top fifteen for quality of life. She used the words Thomas Jefferson wrote into our constitution on the screen behind her, "that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness," while she talked about us taking a path of striving for the tallest buildings, the biggest companies, and the strongest stock market, while forgetting to take care of our most valuable asset—our people._

_Bella told her story of coming to Washington, full of passion to fight for her constituents, and she called on all members of Congress to abandon their partisan allegiance and vote as individuals from this day forward, putting what was best for our country before party politics. It was something that struck a chord with everyone, and I believe it pushed her over the line._

_The night she won her place in the final debates against James, we threw a party to thank everyone for their efforts and motivate the team for the battle ahead. Amazed that James had managed to defeat both Democrats, we toasted too much and were drunk when we came back to the hotel and celebrated with sex. In the early hours of the morning, we talked seriously about my leaving my job to become the First Gentleman. She wanted to plan ahead for her win._

_The Democrats rallied around to ensure she beat James, and suddenly, we had an army on our side, appealing to their own base to garner more votes, and Bella could keep to her message without having to attack her opponent. She had an unfair advantage in appearing weak by failing to retaliate to the jibes of the Acting President._

_James had no idea she was preparing to strike. _

_The campaign team watched previous presidential debates together, and Bella became agitated, walking back and forth behind us._

"_He still hasn't answered the question! Shut him down and move on!" she yelled as she paced the room, watching a candidate monopolize the debate, expounding on issues that had nothing to do with the question._

_She asked the group, "Can we enforce time limits like we do in the Senate?" Randall, her campaign manager, shrugged. "What if I ask him first to agree to the rules of the debate?"_

_He sat down, glancing at me for mercy. "You can try, but how do you police it?"_

"_I'll find a way. Now let's see the next debate."_

_I took the time to stretch, because it was going to be another long night._

* * *

_Bella practiced constantly for the debates, determined not to get drawn into arguments with James. I had no idea if she could do it, but she started the exact way she intended. Only I saw her slip her phone onto the podium. She was going to watch the time and assert her right to a fair hearing._

_She won the toss and looked at me when the question came up about overturning the laws on abortion._

_With her two minutes on the clock, she said to him, "Sir, I would ask you for a common courtesy in sticking to our two-minute answers tonight. This debate is very important to me."_

_It was obvious he didn't like it, because he grasped the podium and rolled his eyes across the ceiling. I guess he decided he couldn't outright deny her because he answered, "Of course. Go on."_

_Smiling, she thanked him and started._

"_I've experienced the joy of finding out I was pregnant with the man I love. I've felt the first stirrings of life inside me, and known the miracle of childbirth, but I've spoken to women across America about all kinds of different experiences. They've told me what it's like when a man tells a woman to get rid of the problem, when she's been raped or abandoned, or found out there's something wrong or a life-threatening reason she has to terminate. Some told me they couldn't bring a child into a world of poverty, domestic violence and fear, but _every one_ would choose to have their baby if their circumstances were different._

"_Because this has become a big issue again, I considered every opinion, and decided that criminalizing a woman who is already going through a devastating emotional decision is unjust. Let's not forget the women who've died at illegal abortion clinics, never hearing the alternatives they might have chosen. I support access to safe and legal abortion as a constitutional right—"_

"_So, you support cold blooded murder?"_

_I held my breath, watching James draw her in._

"_I'm still within my two minutes, sir. I also ask that you show your respect and allow me to finish."_

_She stared at him, knowing he'd only just agreed to her ground rules. "For most women, it's common to be tested during pregnancy to make sure the baby is normal. If she _does _have the tests, then she's become one of millions of women and men who have considered what they would do if the results showed something devastating. No one wants a half-life for their child. Thank you, my time is up."_

_She listened while he gave a speech about the sanctity of life, focusing on late term abortions and his decision to stop funding abortion clinics, interrupting as soon as his time was up._

"_If you say each person is unique from day one, that every child is a sacred gift from God who should be given the opportunity to reach their potential, how can you continue to support sending young men and women into war zones to be slaughtered? Why do we still have mass shootings? Does your right to life have an expiry? At what age is life no longer sacred?"_

_James never answered her questions, and she knew he wouldn't. He just repeated the same thing he'd said a minute before until they managed to move him on._

_He attacked her on education, saying the current bodies were performing so poorly they didn't warrant the investment she proposed. If elected, he would employ new people to run the best education system in the world. She waited patiently while he continued without articulating a single insight into his actual plan._

_As soon as he took a breath, she pounced on the time limit. "May I respond?" she asked, and the moderator told him he could follow up after her two minutes._

"_I will cut the budget for private education. In the last year, I've heard ideas we've never considered from brilliant young adults on public campuses right across the country, and as the child of a military officer, I attended many different kinds of schools, finding it's teachers that make one better than another. What I'm proposing is to put the money into our educators and professors, giving them more involvement in the decision making process, promoting the best into mentoring roles. Bureaucrats who've only ever attended private schools have no place being in charge."_

_He couldn't help himself baiting her. "And yet you attended a fancy private college."_

_She snorted at his ignorance. "West Point is a public school, sir. You don't buy your way in. To be accepted, you have to pass extensive physical tests, prove your academic and leadership achievements and demonstrate you are fully committed to serve your country as a leader. In return for your education, you serve as an officer for a minimum of five years."_

"_At least you get to work off your free education." He smiled at the audience._

_The look she gave him could kill. "That's an appalling thing to say. You should apologize to me, and to everyone who was wounded or died working off their free education."_

_Of course, he didn't apologize, but she had prepared herself for him to scoff and make light of her opinions. I admired how controlled she was under what must have been enormous stress._

_It wasn't until the second debate that she was able to address the budget, and he spoke first, saying he was focused on creating jobs, wealth and prosperity._

_When she looked at her phone, I was sure she was going to mention his time was up, but she let him continue, scrolling the screen. It looked like she was checking her emails, and I covered my mouth so no one would see me trying not to laugh. It went on for five minutes before she looked up and cleared her throat._

"_Sir, I think your time has elapsed."_

"_Why do you keep calling me that?" he asked._

"_It's a term of respect. When I'm President, sir, I'll expect you to call me madam."_

"_Never gonna happen," he replied, rolling his eyes._

"_May I speak now?" she asked the moderator, who allowed her to speak. "Who is becoming wealthy and prosperous, because it's not the people I've spoken to? Your party continues with the corporate tax cuts as a way to stimulate the economy, so I'll leave it to the Acting President to explain precisely how we are ensuring that money is being used to grow our economy and not lining the pockets of CEOs and shareholders."_

_He started to interrupt again, and she raised her finger like she did when Liam was arguing. "I'm not finished. You also keep the tax breaks designed to assist with expansion and research and development, but you're including super companies like Amazon and Netflix when they are raking in massive profits. Why is there no cap to exclude them?_

"_The other thing I find inexplicable is we're still offering the tax cut to the top one percent of income earners. As a group, they earn two trillion in adjusted gross income, so I want everyone to know how much that particular tax cut is costing us in revenue. It's over fifty billion dollars. Every year. For the wealthiest Americans who don't need it. When we have a deficit of a trillion dollars."_

_His lips twisted as he smoothed his tie._

"_Sir, you can respond now. There are several questions there that I believe are important to the debate."_

_I thought it was game, set and match at that point. He couldn't argue against the devil in those details, but she went on to annihilate him on their spending for the military budget, asking why they were expanding the juggernaut of war when the VA already had a million disability claims from veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and if he could explain why our involvement was so out of proportion with our counterparts in the coalition. Why was it up to us to be the world's bully, deploying more forces, taking more wounded, bringing home more dead? Could he justify why we persisted when soldiers were being ripped apart by assault weapons, crippled by the blast of an IED, traumatized with invisible injuries, trying to find their place in a civilian world where they no longer fit?_

_It was a lot to respond to, and he was unprepared for the assault, choosing to challenge her numbers rather than address the questions she posed. _

_She finished by highlighting his broken promises to adequately care for the health of the people who had trusted the real President, and his failure to effectively secure the nation's borders._

_The final question was a summary of what made them the better candidate, and she started. "I've been training as a leader since I was seventeen, so I know a good commander does not profess to know everything. When I make an announcement, you can be sure I've consulted with many people who know more than I._

"_I understand the weight of the oath I will take when I become President, and I'm well aware of the sacrifices and struggles it took to get me here today. The journey has been challenging for me, my family, for those who've supported me, and for all of you who have been so generous in showing me what it means to be American. _

"_Campaigning in every state revealed more things we have in common than the issues that are supposed to be tearing us apart. We are essentially a country of immigrants, and we owe respect to the First Nations who took care of this land long before we arrived. We must also remember we have citizens whose families were transported here against their will and who still suffer the consequences today. Some came here to prosper, but many entered our great country as a last resort, in fear for their lives. It's time to remember how our own families entered America and be tolerant of those arriving today. No matter how they come here, we must welcome immigrants as our ancestors welcomed our families, and we value their contribution to our multicultural society._

"_I see a future where diplomacy and technology are our most powerful weapons, so I will never sign an order to send thousands of troops into combat on foreign soil. I want us to stop calling ourselves a superpower and strive to become a superpeople. We become mighty with the help of strong allies, not when we distance ourselves from our friends._

"_This country deserves a president who will never label people based on their skin color, religion, sexuality, or gender, a woman who recognizes there's strength in compassion. Most importantly, we need someone we can trust, who won't abandon a promise made during the election campaign."_

* * *

_By the time she won the primary, Bella knew the heartbeat of every state in the Union, how they formed a commonwealth, and in doing so, found her strength in appealing to their similarities, while respecting the differences._

_And by the time she won the election, she knew each member of the legislature personally, even those who did not support her. President Masen had advised her to hold her enemies as close as her supporters. _

"_Hear their stories," he wrote, and she understood, having experienced the thrill of him asking for her opinions during a private audience in the Oval Office._

_The turnout for the election was 64%, higher than when Kennedy beat Nixon in 1960._

_She won by 60.7%, the third highest on record. The Electoral College was 85%, leaving no argument as to who had rightly won._

_My wife had become the first woman and the first Independent candidate to win the Presidency. _

* * *

With a rattle of drums and a fanfare of brass, everyone stood for the announcement, "Ladies and gentlemen, the President-elect of the United States, Isabella Marie Cullen," and I stared at my wife, grinning for her deafening welcome.

Just as I was questioning why she didn't have an escort, my son charged up the stairs and offered his arm. She kissed his cheek and my throat constricted. If someone ever asked me what the highlight of the day was, then this was it. With all the back-talking and know-it-all attitude Liam gave us, I had no doubt he would be a fine young man.

Brave. Like his mother.

As they reached the bottom step, Liam dutifully backed away, and I hugged him to me while she greeted powerful politicians and ex-presidents, many of whom were already her friends.

While we listened to the speech explaining the inauguration, I kept my arms around my two children and reflected on the incredible life we'd carved out for ourselves. I couldn't imagine where I might have been on this day if I'd never met Bella.

As the moment arrived, I moved close to her, ready to hold the Bible while she took the oath, and she gazed at me with the same warm brown eyes that captured my heart all those years ago. Today, she was truly stunning in her triumph.

"Thank you," she whispered and smiled. When I studied her expression, curiously, she added. "For everything."

I would have kissed her had there not been a million people in front of us.

"Madam, you are very welcome."

_**Thanks for reading xo**_

_**I was going to write one more chapter to finish at the end of the day, but attending the Inaugural lunch, parade and multiple balls doesn't add anything to the story. I'm marking it complete where the one shot originally finished.**_

**_Inauguration Day has been voted in the Top 10 fics completed in November by visitors of www . twifanfictionrecs . com. Thank you so much for the votes._**


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